p-   .    CENT^ 


AS 


MACHINERY'S 

SHOP   RECEIPTS   AND 

FORMULAS 


412  Shop  Receipts  and  Formulas 

Selected  from  MACHINERY 

Classified  and  Revised 

Second  Edition 

CONTENTS 

Blue-Printing  and  Drafting-Room  Formulas       -        -  -       3 

Cements  for  Metals,  Emery,  Leather,  Glass,  Marble,  etc.  -  7 

Etching  Fluids    ---------  ly 

Hardening  and  Tempering,  Case-Hardening,  etc.       -         -  l8 

Polishing  Brass,  Nickel  and  Steel        -         -         -         -  -     25 

Producing  Colors  and  Coatings  on  Metals         -         -         -  26 

Rust  Removers  and  Preventatives       -         -         -         -  "     3^ 

Solders  and  Soldering  Acids    ------  37 

Lubricants  for  Bearings,  Cutting  Tools,  etc.         -         -  -    41 

Varnishes,   Paints  and  Whitewashes         -         -         -         -  47 

Eye  Washes,  Salves,  Cleaning  Compounds,  etc.    -         -  -     50 

Miscellaneous    Useful    Receipts         -----  52 

Index           -------_--  qg 


Copyright,  1911,  The  Industrial  Press,  Publishers  of  Machinery 
49-55  Lafayette  Street,  New  York  City 


THE  GETTY  CENTER 
LIBRARV 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND   FORMULAS 


BLUE-PRINT  WRITING  FLUIDS 


Marking-  fluid  for  Blue-prints 

The  following  receipt  for  marking  fluid 
for  blueprints  nas  given  me  satisfaction. 
The  fluid  Is  composed  of  potassium  ox- 
alate, 1  ounce ;  gum  arable,  1  dram  (60 
grains)  ;  water,  6  ounces ;  cobalt-blue  to 
colo:-.  William  H.  David. 

Staten  Island,  N.  Y. 


White  Writing^  Fluid  for  Blue-prints 

A  fluid  which  I  find  is  as  good  as  any  I 
liave  ever  used  for  writing  white  on  blue- 
prints is  made  of  equal  parts  of  sal-soda 
and  water.  Another  fluid,  not  as  good,  is 
made  by  mixing  equal  parts  of  borax  and 
water.  Both  these  fluids  must  be  used 
with  a  fine-pointed  pen  ;  a  pen  with  a  blunt 
point  will  not  work  well. 

Allegheny,  Pa.  C.  W.  Morrison. 


White  and  Red  Solutions  for  Writing  on 
Blue-prints 

I  find  the  following  means  convenient  for 
making  a  solution  for  marking  white  lines 
on  blue-prints.  I  add  to  a  small  bottle 
of  water  enough  washing  soda  to  make  a 
clear  white  line,  then  I  add  enough  gum 
arable  to  it  to  prevent  spreading  and  mak- 
ing ragged  lines.  To  make  red  lines  I  dip 
the  pen  in  red  ink  and  then  add  a  little  of 
the  solution   by  means  of  the  quill. 

Cleveland,    O.  Ed.    H.    Remde. 


Solution  for  Writing-  on  Blue-prints 

A  solution  for  marking  on  blue-prints, 
■which  I  have  tried  with  comparatively 
good  success.  Is  a  very  thick  lime  water. 
Have  a  good  deal  more  lime  than  will  dis- 
solve, and  shake  up  the  bottle  just  before 
using,  and  it  will  not  spread.  Possibly 
this  solution  could  be  colored  w}th  red 
ink.  but  as  I  prefer  the  white  I  have  never 
tried  it.  G.  V. 


Bed   Writing-   Fluid   for   Blue-prints 

For  red  writing  on  blue-prints,  I  take 
a  piece  of  common  washing  soda  the  size  of 
an  ordinary  bean  and  dissolve  It  in  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  ordinary  red  writing  ink 
to  make  a  red  fluid.  The  only  way  I  know 
of  to  keep  It  from  spreading  too  much  is  to 
use  a  fine  pen  to  apply  it  with,  and  write 
fast  so  as  not  to  allow  to  much  of  the 
fluid  to  get  on  the  paper,  for  it  will  con- 
tinue eating  until  it  is  dry.  H.  E.  W. 


Colored   Inks   for  Blue-prints 

In  order  to  make  red  and  white  solutions 
for  writing  on  blue-prints,  dissolve  a  crystal 
of  oxalate  of  potash  about  the  size  of  a  pea 
in  an  Ink  bottle  full  of  water.  This  will 
give  white  lines  on  blue-prints ;  other  potash 
solutions  are  yellowish.  If  this  shows  a 
tendency  to  run,  owing  to  too  great 
strength,  add  more  water  and  thicken 
slightly  with  mucilage.  Mix  this  with  red 
or  any  other  colored  Ink  about  half  and 
half  and  writing  may  be  done  on  the  blue- 
prints in  colors  corresponding  to  the  inks 
used.  W.  H.  Sargent. 

St.  Johnsbury,   Vt. 


To    Slake    Chang-es    and    Corrections    on 
Blue-prints 

Sometimes  I  find  it  necessary  to  make 
changes  and  corrections  on  blue-prints ;  to 
do  this  I  use  a  solution  of  sodium  carbonate 
and  water,  with  a  little  red  ink  mixed  in. 
This  gives  a  very  pleasing  pink  color  to 
the  changes  which  at  the  same  time  Is  very 
noticeable.  The  amount  of  sodium  carbon- 
ate used  depends  upon  the  surface  of  the 
bluo-print  paper  as  some  coarse-grained  pa- 
pers will  look  better  if  less  soda  is  used  and 
vice  versa.  However,  the  amount  of  pow- 
dered soda  held  on  a  five-cent  piece  dis- 
solved In  a  bottle  of  water  (Higgins  ink 
bottle)   gives  very  good  results. 

Sharon,    Pa.  R.    F.   Kiefer. 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Retouchingf    Blue-prints 

An  excellent  solution  for  retouching  or 
marking  in  details  on  blue-prints  can  be 
prepared  according  to  the  following  re- 
ceipt. The  solution  consists  of  75  grains 
of  potassium  oxalate  dissolved  in  1  ounce 
of  water.  If  the  solution  is  too  thin  and 
watery,    it    may    be    thickened    by    adding 


some  kind  cf  a  gum  preparation.  It  can 
be  applied  with  a  pen,  as  ordinary  ink. 
The  blue  background  Is  removed  very  rap- 
idly by  the  solution,  but  it  is  Important 
that  the  print  be  immediately  washed,  aa 
the  solution  has  a  tendency  to  soak  into 
the  pores  of  the  paper  and  blur  the  lines. 
Olney,  111.  T.  E.  O'Donnei.l. 


SOLUTIONS  FOR  PREPARING  BLUE-PRINTING  PAPER 


Blue-printing-  Pormiila 

I  have  used  the  following  receipt  for  blue- 
prints with  much  satisfaction.  The  same 
formula  may  be  applied  for  postal  cards  on 
which  it  is  desired  to  print  landscapes  or 
similar  views.  Jfake  a  solution  as  follows  : 
Water,  3  ounces ;  ammonia  citrate  of  iron, 
300  grains ;  oxalate  of  potash,  75  grains. 
Dry  in  the  dark,  print  and  then  develop  in 
the  following  :  Water,  3  ounces  ;  nitrate  of 
silver,  15  grains ;  citrate  of  soda,  150 
grains.  Add  ammonia  to  dissolve  the  pre- 
cipitate, and  acetic  acid  until  slightly  acid. 
Wash  slightly  and  dry.  I  have  found  this 
to  make  a  better  blue-print  in  every  detail 
than  any  other  of  the  various  known  re- 
ceipts. Robert  B.  Otis. 

Orange,   Conn. 


Chemicals  for  Blue-prints 

To  make  blue-print  paper  use  citrate  of 
Iron  and  ammonia,  1%  ounce  dissolved  in 
S  ounces  of  water,  and  red  prussiate  of 
potash,  114  ounce,  dissolved  also  In  8 
ounces  of  water.  Keep  in  separate  bottles 
until  wanted  for  use.  When  wanted  for 
use,  measure  equal  quantities  from  each  of 
the  above  bottles.  Shake  so  as  to  mix  it 
well.  It  is  then  ready  for  putting  on  the 
paper.  When  the  two  are  poured  together, 
tftn  mixture  must  be  kept  away  from  white 
light  and  should  be  applied  la  a  room  il- 
luminated with  a  ruby  light  only.  The 
paper  must  be  dried  in  this  room  and  kept 
in  the  dark  until  used.  One  ounce  of 
mixed  chemical  will  cover  about  4  square 
feet  of  paper.  David  Melville. 

Detroit,  Mich. 


Practical  Formula   for   Sensitizing  Blue- 
print Paper 

To  prepare  the  blue-print  solutions,  dis- 
solve 3%  ounces  of  ammonia  citrate  of 
iron,  in  18  ounces  of  water,  and  put  in  a 
bottle.  Then  dissolve  2%  ounces  of  red 
prussiate  of  potash  in  18  ounces  of  water, 
and  put  in  another  bottle.  When  ready 
to  prepare  the  paper,  have  the  sheets  piled 
one  on  top  of  the  other,  coating  but  one  at 
a  time.  Darken  the  room,  and  light  a  ruby 
lamp.  Now,  mix  thoroughly  equal  parts 
of  both  solutions  and  apply  the  mixture 
with  a  sponge  in  long  parallel  sweeps,  keep- 
ing the  application  as  even  as  possible. 
Hang  the  paper  in  the  dark  room  to  dry 
and  keep  it  dark  until  used.  Any  of  the 
mixture  left,  from  sensitizing  the  paper, 
should  be  thrown  away,  as  it  deteriorates 
rapidly. 

Often,  in  making  blue-prints  by  sunlight. 
the  exposure  is  too  long,  and  when  the 
frame  is  opened  the  white  lines  of  the 
print  are  faint  or  obscure.  Usually  these 
prints  are  relegated  to  the  waste  basket 
but  if,  after  being  washed  as  usual,  they 
are  sponged  with  a  weak  solution  of  chlo- 
ride of  iron,  their  reclamation  is  almost  cer- 
tain. When  the  lines  reappear  the  print 
should  be  thoroughly  rinsed  in  clear  water. 

Often  a  drawing,  from  which  prints 
have  already  been  made,  requires  changing. 
The  blue-prints  then  on  hand  are  worthless, 
requiring  more  time  to  correct  than  it 
would  take  to  make  a  new  print.  An  eco- 
nomical way  of  using  the  worthless  prints 
is  to  cancel  the  drawing  already  thereon, 
sensitize  the  reverse  side,  and  use  the  paper 
again.  Julian  Day   Page. 

Youngstown,  Ohio. 


METHODS  OF  TREATING  BLUE-  AND  BROWN-PRINTS 


To   Make  Vandyke  Prints   more 
Transparent 

To  a  pint  of  best  grade  gasoline,  add  as 
much  parafine  as  the  gasoline  will  readily 
dissolve    and    spread    this    solution    evenly 


over  the  print  with  a  soft  brush,  wipe  dry 
with  a  piece  of  white  cotton  rag  and  print 
In  the  usual  manner.  Vandyke  prints 
treated  In  this  way  will  require  only  about 
two-thirds  the  usuaJ  time  to  print. 
Meadville,   Pa.  E.  W.  Bowen. 


BLUE-PRINTING 


JVIixtiire    for    Clearing'    Blue-prints 

It  very  often  occurs,  when  making  blue- 
prints, tliat  a  print  becomes  burned  by 
over-exposure  and  the  lines  do  not  show  up 
well.  These  may  be  brought  out  more 
clearly  by  pouring  bi-chromate  of  potash, 
dissolved  in  water,  over  the  print  while  it 
is  in  the  sink.  The  print  must  be  washed 
again  with  water  before  it  is  hung  up  to 
dry.  Herbert  C.  Sxow. 

Cleveland,  O. 


Waterproofing-  Blue-prints 

To  prevent  the  annoyance  occasioned  by 
having  blue-prints  discolored  by  rain,  drip- 
pings of  mines  or  other  similar  exposures, 
a  very  simple  method  of  waterproofing 
them  may  be  effected  as  follows.  The 
waterproofing  medium  is  refined  parafiQne. 
To  apply.  Immerse  in  the  melted  paraflSne, 
until  saturated,  a  number  of  pieces  of  an 
absorbent  cloth  at  least  a  foot  square. 
When  withdrawn  and  allowed  to  drain  for 
a  few  moments  they  are  ready  for  use. 
Lay  one  of  the  saturated  sheets  on  a 
smooth  surface,  place  the  dry  print  on  top 
of  It,  and  then  lay  a  second  sheet  of  the 
saturated  cloth  over  it.  Iron  the  top  cloth 
with  a  moderately  hot  fiat-iron.  The  paper 
Immediately  absorbs  the  paraflBne  until 
saturated,  becomes  translucent  and  highly 
waterproofed,  owing  to  the  smooth  glossy 
surface,  which  is  the  result  of  the  ironing. 
The  lines  of  the  print  will  be  intensified, 
and  the  paper  left  perfectly  smooth  and 
easy  to  handle.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 


To    Tone   Blue-prints 

After  washing  the  blue-print  in  the  usual 
manner,  immerse  it  for  half  a  minute  or 
less  in  a  solution  made  by  dissolving  a 
teaspoonful  of  potassium  bichromate  crystals 
In  one-half  gallon  clear  water.  Then  rinse 
the  print  in  clear  water  and  hang  It  up  to 
dry.  A  galvanized  iron  or  japanned  tray 
may  be  used  for  the  solution.  Prints  may 
be  much  overprinted  and  yet  give  beautiful 
clear  whites  and  extremely  deep  blues, 
easily  seen  by  the  workman  and  a  delight 
to  the  directors,  the  latter  especially  be- 
cause the  solution  is  quite  inexpensive,  and 
can  be  used  over  and  over  again  until  an 
objectionable  precipitate  forms.  I  have 
used  this  toning  with  Keuffel  &  Esser's 
paper  and  also  with  a  number  of  local 
brands  of  blue-printing  paper,  all  of  which 
gave  such  fine  results  that  we  specify  "all 
blue-prints  must  be  toned." 

Denver,  Col.        F.  J.   Schaufelberger. 


Spots  on  Blue-prints 
We  were  bothered  for  some  time  wich 
peculiar  blue  spots  on  our  tracings,  which 
were  next  to  impossible  to  remove,  and 
which  caused  spotted  blue-prints.  The 
office  receiving  these  prints  finally  requested 
us  to  remove  the  ink  blots  from  our  trac- 
ings. The  trouble  was  finally  located,  in 
connection  with  the  blue-printing.  The  one 
doing  this  work  had  a  habit  of  making  one 
print,  washing  it  at  once  to  prove  the 
color,  and  then  printing  the  entire  lot. 
Now  after  washing  the  first  print,  he  did 
not  thoroughly  dry  his  hands,  and  on  plac- 
ing the  next  print,  the  paper  was  moist- 
ened and  the  exposure  "fixed"  some  of  the 
blue  clear  through  the  tracing  cloth. 

Howard  D.  Yoder. 


Solution  for  Cleaningr  Blue-prints 

Dissolve  enough  bichromate  of  potash  in 
water  to  color  the  water  a  deep  orange — or 
about  one  tablespoonful  to  eight  gallons  of 
water.  Wash  the  blue-prints  in  clear  water 
before  and  after  using  the  solution. 

Chambersburg,  Pa.  E.  Ray  Croft. 


How  to  Save  Under-printed  or  Over- 
printed  Contact   Copies 

Blue-prints  are  never  so  over-printed  that 
they  cannot  be  reduced  to  a  suitable  tone  by 
a  slightly  alkaline  bath  of  borax,  bicarbon- 
ate of  soda,  washing  soda,  or  ammonia. 
Blackline,  or  "ink"  process  paper,  is  usually 
lost  if  slightly  over-printed ;  if  under-print- 
ed it  develops  too  gray  all  over  its  surface 
to  be  of  use  for  tracing  or  for  reproduction 
photographically.  In  the  winter-time,  when 
prints  from  thick  paper  drawings  are  apt 
to  be  under-exposed,  I  treated  a  number  of 
such  apparently  useless  prints  with  a  lo- 
tion for  throat  troubles — the  first  "tonic" 
available — with  excellent  results,  the  invisi- 
ble lines  developing  out  a  strong  black  on 
a  gray  ground.  The  mixture  was  tannin- 
and-glycerine  solution  to  about  20  parts  of 
water.  When  using  this  solution  It  is  safer 
to  under-print  rather  than  to  over-print, 
with  the  resulting  weak  or  broken  lines. 

Sepia  prints,  when  much  over-printed, 
can  be  saved  by  washing  in  a  very  weak 
solution  of  hyposulphite  of  soda  which 
bleaches  away  the  image  before  It  can  be- 
come fixed  by  the  usual  preliminary  wash 
in  plain  water.  The  hyposulphite  solution 
is  so  energetic  that  it  will  bleach  down  the 
darkest  of  sepia  prints  if  not  previously 
put  in  water.  Purple  tones  are  obtained, 
after  washing,  by  treating  with  any  gold- 
toning  bath.  Charles  R.  King. 

Staple  Hill  Park.  Bristol,  England. 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To  Bleach  Blue  prints 

It  is  occasionally  necessary  to  bleach 
blue-prints  when  it  is  desired  to  make 
drawings  for  photographic  reproduction. 
Blue-prints  are  sometimes  so  faded  that  it 
is  impossible  to  trace  them,  in  which  case 
I  ink  the  lines  of  the  blue-print  and  then 
bleach  out  the  blue,  leaving  the  black  lines 
on  the  white  ground.  The  process  of 
bleaching  is  extremely  simple  and  is  one 
that  I  developed  about  eight  years  ago.  I 
had  found  it  impossible  to  make  tracings 
from  blue-prints  which  were  very  much 
faded,  or  which  had  been  over-  or  under- 
printed.  After  experimenting  for  a  month 
or  so,  trying  different  preparations,  I  final- 
ly hit  on  the  following  combination  : 

1  gallon  lukewarm  water  and  %  pound 
bicarbonate  of  soda.  Of  course  this  pro- 
portion is  not  exact,  and  has  to  be  used 
with  caution ;  when  in  doubt  prepare  a 
little  solution  and  make  a  test  of  a  small 
piece  before  hand  as  it  will  be  found  that 
some  prints  will  not  bleach  as  others  do. 
Do  not  allow  the  inked-in  prints  to  re- 
main in  the  solution  any  longer  than  Is 
absolutely  necessary,  for  no  matter  how 
waterproof  the  ink  may  be  it  is  impossible 
to  keep  It  from  running  a  little.  Freshly 
made  blue-prints,  that  is,  those  not  more 
than  a  few  months  old,  work  best.  As 
soon  as  the  print  is  bleached  take  it  out 
of  the  solution  by  the  corners,  being  care- 
ful not  to  touch  the  ink  work.  Too  much 
soda  Is  harmful  as  it  deposits  white  dust 
on  the  lines.  This,  however,  can  be  re- 
moved by  re-immersion  in  clean  water. 

New  York.  Fred  Dibelids. 


When  cool,  add  sulphuric  acid  in  small 
quantities  until  blue  litmus  paper  turns 
slightly  red,  then  add  a  few  drops  of  am- 
monia until  the  alkaline  reaction  appears, 
and  red  litmus  paper  turns  blue.  Then 
add  to  the  solution  154  grains  of  red  crude 
gum  catechu.  Allow  this  to  dissolve,  with 
occasional  stirring.  The  solution  will  keep 
indefinitely.  After  the  print  has  been 
washed  in  the  usual  way,  immerse  it  in 
the  above  bath  for  a  period  of  a  minute 
or  so  longer  than  necessary  to  obtain  the 
desired  tone.  An  olive  brown  or  a  dark 
brown  is  the  result.  John  B.  Sperry. 

Aurora,  111. 


BrowH'prints 

The  following  solution  will  change  the 
color  of  blue-print  paper  to  a  dark  brown  : 
Borax,   2%    ounces;   hot  water,   .38   ounces. 


To   Save   Burned   or  Over-exposed  Blue- 
prints 

Blue-prints  that  have  become  burned  or 
over-exposed,  may  be  saved  by  the  use  of 
the  following  formula  :  Make  a  saturated 
solution  of  bichromate  of  potash,  and  keep 
a  supply  on  hand  in  the  blue-print  room. 
If  a  print  becomes  over-exposed,  wash  it  in 
the  usual  manner  in  a  tank  or  tray  of 
water,  after  which  place  it  in  another  tray 
which  should  contain  a  mixture  of  two 
parts  water  to  one  part  of  the  saturated 
solution  of  bichromate  of  potash.  Allow 
the  print  to  remain  in  the  tray  containing 
the  solution  until  it  shows  a  deep  blue  color 
and  the  white  lines  are  clearly  defined 
(which  requires  but  a  few  seconds),  after 
which  the  print  should  be  thoroughly 
washed  and  rinsed  in  clear  water.  The  pro- 
portion of  the  bichromate  of  potash  may 
be  increased  or  diminished  as  the  occa- 
sion requires.  This  solution  also  acts 
equally  as  well  when  applied  to  white- 
prints  made  from  vandyke  negatives.  Prints, 
as  well  as  expense  and  time,  may  be  saved 
by  the  use  of  the  above  solution. 

Meadville,  Pa.  J.  C.  Hassett. 


MISCELLANEOUS  DRAFTING-ROOM  RECEIPTS 


To  Preserve  Reference  Tables 

Reference  tables  are  very  convenient  to 
use  but  soon  get  dirty  and  torn.  To  pre- 
v^ent  this  pour  some  lacquer  In  a  shallow 
tray  and  dip  the  paper  Into  it  and  hang 
It  up  to  drain  and  dry.  This  not  only 
makes  the  paper  dirt-proof  but  toughens  it 
as   well.  Milton   Borgess. 

Cleveland,  O. 


To  Clean  Tracings 

Tracings   that    have   become    badly    soiled 
from    handling    or    other    causes,    may    be 


easily  cleaned  by  thoroughly  sponging  the 
cloth  with  benzine  or  gasoline.  Kerosene 
will  serve  the  purpose,  but  It  is  not  so 
good.  It  does  not  injure  the  cloth  in  the 
least,  but  on  the  other  hand  has  the  efifect 
of  re-establishing  the  color  of  a  much  used 
tracing,  and  will  remove  pencil  marks  per- 
fectly. When  some  compound  has  been 
used  on  the  tracing  to  remove  the  ink  lines, 
leaving  a  sticky  and  gummy  surface,  ben- 
zine will  quickly  clean  and  dry  the  affected 
portion,  so  that  it  can  be  worked  over 
again.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 

Olney,  111. 


CEMENTS  FOR  METALS 


Chalk  Preparation  for  Tracing's 

Mix  thoroughly  one  pound  of  pulverized 
chalk  with  one-quarter  pound  of  borax. 
Rub  some  of  this  mixture  into  a  chamois 
skin,  and  rub  the  tracing  carefully  with 
this.  This  preparation  is  superior  to  pure 
chalk.  Rex  McKeb. 

Joliet,   111. 


To  Write  with  Color  on  a  Drawing  that 
is  to  he  Varnished 

When  it  is  required  to  color  or  to  write 
with  color  on  a  drawing  or  blue-print  which 
has  to  be  varnished  later,  mix  a  little 
Isinglass  with  the  color ;  this  will  prevent 
the  color  running  when  the  size  is  applied. 

Manchester,  Eng.  H.   T.   Millar. 


To  Remove  Grease  Stains  from  Papers, 
Drawings,  etc. 

Place  sheets  of  blotting  paper  over  and 
under  the  stained  page,  to  protect  the  oth- 
ers. Lay  powdered  magnesia  on  the  stain 
and  under  it ;  then  press  over  the  blotting 
paper  with  a  hot  iron.  When  the  powder 
is  shaken  off,  the  stain  is  gone. 

New  Britain,  Conn.  F.  L.  Engkl. 


To  Write  on  Celluloid 

To  write  on  triangles  or  other  instru- 
ments made  of  celluloid  use  anhydrous 
acetic  acid.  The  writing  will  appear  dull 
on  the  glossy  surface.  If  colored  writing 
Is  desired,  add  some  coloring  matter  to  the 
acid.  J.    M.    Menequs. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal. 


Ideal  IVIethod  of  Freparingr  Tracing 
Cloth 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  neither  the 
glossy  nor  the  dull  side  of  tracing  cloth 
takes  Ink  readily  without  being  prepared  in 
some  manner.  The  usual  way  Is  to  sprinkle 
powdered  soapstone  or  chalk  on  the  tracing 


cloth  and  rub  it  over  the  surface  with  a 
piece  of  cloth.  This  helps  somewhat,  but 
not  enough  to  be  perfectly  satisfactory. 
After  trying  various  methods,  I  have  found 
a  way  which  gives  excellent  results,  and 
that  is,  to  sprinkle  the  powdered  soapstone 
on  the  cloth  as  usual,  but  rub  it  in  with  a 
blotter  instead  of  a  piece  of  cloth,  using  a 
circular  motion  and  considerable  pressure ; 
of  course  It  is  necessary  to  brush  away  the 
superfluous  powder.  The  use  of  a  blotter  has 
an  abraiding  effect  and  it  is  just  harsh 
enough  to  give  the  cloth  a  surface  which  will 
take  the  ink  readily  and  still  leave  the  pens 
unharmed.  I  find  it  to  be  an  advantage  to 
repeat  this  process  each  morning  in  case 
the  tracing  is  not  finished  the  day  it  Is 
started  ;  the  rubbing  of  the  blotter  over  the 
lines  already  inked  in  does  absolutely  no 
harm  and  if  anything  makes  the  lines  more 
dense.  A  trial  of  this  method  will  convince 
the  draftsman  that  the  cloth  will  take  the 
ink  better  than  by  any  other  method. 
Chicago,  111.  Robert  A.  Lachmann. 


To  Prevent  Drawing  Titles  from  Smear- 
ing' or  Ruhhing  Off 

A  great  many  of  our  railroads  and  large 
manufacturing  concerns  throughout  the 
country  are  using  small  printing  presses, 
for  the  purpose  of  putting  titles  on  their 
drawings.  It  is  titles  put  on  in  this  man- 
ner with  tracing  cloth  printing  ink  to 
which  I  refer.  After  the  title  has  been 
printed  on  the  drawing,  lacquer  it  over 
with  a  very  thjn  coat  of  French  varnish 
(such  as  is  used  by  artists).  This  can  be 
best  applied  with  a  chisel-shaped  camel's 
hair  brush,  equal  in  width  to  the  height  of 
the  letters  in  the  title.  A  good  substitute 
where  French  varnish  cannot  be  obtained 
is  made  by  cutting  14  ounce  of  the  best 
grade  of  white  shellac  in  y^  pint  of  alco- 
hol. As  both  of  these  varnishes  dry  very 
quickly,  the  tracings  may  be  used  soon  after 
the  titles  are  put  on.  E.  W.  Bowen. 

Meadville,  Pa 


CEMENTS  FOR  METALS 


To  Join  Together  Two  Pieces  of  Iron 
that    cannot    be    Heated 

I  have  used  a  compound  consisting  of 
sulphur,  6  parts ;  white  lead,  6  parts ;  and 
borax,  1  part.  These  substances  are  dis- 
solved In  concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  and 
the  surfaces  to  be  united  covered  with  the 
mastic,  and  pressed  very  hard  together.  In 
about  six  days  the  two  pieces  are  so  well 
joined  that  even  hammering  will  not  part 
them.  J.  M.  Menegus. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal.  * 


Cement  for  Metals 

A  very  good  cement  that  1  have  used  for 
cementing  metal  parts  consists  of  the  fol- 
lowing Ingredients:  214  parts  zinc  oxide;  1 
part  zinc  chloride ;  5  parts  pulverized  lime- 
stone, slag,  etc.  Mix  to  a  thick  paste,  using 
water.  If  the  cement  is  wanted  to  set 
slowly,  add  1  part  of  zinc  sulphate  Instead 
of  1  part  of  zinc  chloride.  The  adhesive 
power  of  this  cement  can  be  increased  by 
adding  2  per  cent  of  ferrous  sulphate  to 
the  whole.  Herbeut  S.  Gladfelteb. 

Desloge,  Mo. 


8 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Bust  Joint 

Mix  10  parts  of  iron  filings,  3  parts 
chloride  of  lime  with  enough  water  to  make 
a  paste.  Apply  this  mixture  to  the  joint, 
bolt  firmly  together  and  in  twelve  hours  it 
will  be  set  so  that  the  iron  will  break  sooner 
than  the  cement.  David  Melville. 

Detroit,  Mich. 


Cement  to  Resist  VTbite  Heat 

A  cement  that  will  resist  white  heat  may 
be  made  of  pulverized  fire  clay,  4  parts ; 
plumbago,  1  part ;  iron  filings  or  borings 
free  from  oxide,  2  parts ;  peroxide  of  man- 
ganese, 1  part ;  borax,  14  part,  and  sea 
salt,  %  part.  Mix  these  to  a  thick  paste 
and  use  immediately.  Heat  up  gradually 
when  first  using.  W.  R.  Bowers. 

Birmingham,  Eng. 


Iron  Cement 

The  following  iron  cement,  if  properly 
prepared  and  applied,  will  unite  broken  iron 
parts  very  strongly,  and  may  be  found  use- 
ful oftentimes  for  repairing  broken  machine 
parts  of  comparative  unimportance.  Mix 
equal  parts  of  sulphur  and  white  lead  with 
about  one-sixth  part  of  borax  and  incor- 
porate the  three  together  thoroughly.  When 
ready  to  use  the  mixture  wet  it  with 
strong  sulphuric  acid  and  spread  a  thin 
layer  of  the  cement  on  the  joint  to  be 
united.  Clamp  together  for  five  days  when 
the  joint  should  be  dry  and  sound. 

St.  Joseph,   Mich.  J.  W.   Wilford. 


Zinc   Dust   Cement 

A  putty  prepared  with  zinc  dust  does  not 
have  the  drawbacks  of  those  prepared  with 
white  lead  or  red  lead.  The  oil  used  is 
that  known  as  wood  oil ;  this  oil  is  ex- 
tracted from  a  tree  which  grows  in  China 
and  Cochin-China,  known  as  the  oil  tree  or 
Eloecocca  Vernica.  This  putty  possesses 
the  peculiar  property  of  hardening  under 
the  action  of  a  very  moderate  heat,  such 
as  that  which  exists  in  steam  boilers.  With 
linseed  oil,  the  hardening  takes  place  at  a 
higher   temperature,   but    it   is  not  as   thor- 


ough, and  a  partial  oxidation  takes  place, 
and  it  is  accompanied  by  the  production  of 
carbonic-dioxid.  With  wood  oil,  the  hard- 
ening is  entire  and  rapid,  and  a  rearrange- 
ment of  molecules  takes  place  without  any 
chemical  change ;  the  physical  constitution 
alone  appears  to  be  modified.  The  harden- 
ing of  zinc  dust  cement  is  quite  different 
from  that  prepared  with  white  or  red  lead, 
as  the  action  of  oxygen  is  not  required. 
Heating  to  150  degrees  centigrade  is  suffi- 
cient to  complete  the  action,  and  at  110 
degrees  it  Is  completed  In  six  hours.  This 
cement  will  keep  for  an  indefinite  period 
after  hardening.  Alfred  Lanq. 

Pittsburg,  Pa. 


To    Unite    Metals    of    any    Kind 

The  following  mastic  may  be  used  to 
unite  metals  of  any  kind.  It  becomes  very 
hard.  First,  mix  together  well  4  parts  of 
iron  filings  with  4  parts  of  chloride  of  am- 
monia. Then  dissolve  100  parts  of  arable 
gum  and  20  parts  of  sugar  in  100  parts  of 
water,  and  add  1%  part  of  nitric  acid. 
Boil  this,  and  put  the  first  mixture  into  it. 
When  the  mastic  has  to  be  used,  mix  one 
part  of  it  with  ten  parts  of  new  Iron  filings 
and  some  water,  and  heat  It  until  a  paste 
is  formed,  which  Is  applied  well  heated  to 
the  pieces  to  be  united. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal.  J.  M.  Menegds. 


Cement  for  Iiocomotive  Front-ends 

A  cement  that  was  commonly  used  on 
the  Fallbrook  R.  R.  locomotive  front-ends 
some  years  ago  to  stop  all  cracks  and 
leaks,  was  composed  of  litharge  mixed  with 
sufficient  boiled  linseed  oil  to  make  a  stiff 
paste.  Into  this  paste  was  thoroughly 
mixed  about  one-third  bulk  of  old  rope  cut 
into  short  lengths — about  one  inch — and 
separated  into  its  constituent  fibers.  This 
cement  hardens  like  iron  and  the  rope 
fibers  hold  it  together  while  drying  and 
also  prevent  squeezing  out  when  the  front- 
end  casting  is  bolted  to  the  smokebox.  This 
cement  will  be  found  useful  in  many  other 
places   where   it   will    be   subjected   to  heat. 

M.  E.  Canek. 


CEMENTS  AND  FILLING  FOR  CAST  IRON 


Filling-  for  Cast  Iron 

One-quarter  tumbler  full  of  japan  dryer, 
1%  ounce  finely  ground  dry  white  lead. 
Mix  and  add  1  quart  of  finishing  japan. 
Stir  in  dry  rotten  stone  until  mixture  Is  a 
thick  paste.  E.    H.   McClintock. 

West  Somervllle,  Mass. 


Iron  Cement 

For  plugging  holes  in  castings  a  good  ce- 
ment is  made  from  80  parts  of  sifted  cast- 
iron  turnings,  2  parts  of  powdered  sal- 
ammoniac,  and  1  part  sulphur,  made  into 
thick  paste  with  water  fresh  for  use. 

Detroit,     Mich.  David    Melville. 


CEMENTS  FOR  CAST  IRON 


9 


rilling-  for   Blowholes   in   Cast  Iron 
One  part  red  lead,  and  1%  part  litharge. 
Mix     with     glycerine     to     consistency     de- 
sired. E.   H.   McClintock. 
West  Somerville,  Mass. 


Cement   for  Iron 

Six  parts  of  white  lead,  6  of  sulphur  and 
1  of  borax,  thoroughly  mixed  and  wetted 
with  strong  sulphuric  acid  makes  a  very 
strong  cement.  David  Melville. 

Detroit,    Mich. 


Cement  for  Cast  Iron 

Mix  1  pound  cast-iron  filings,  1  ounce 
sulphur,  and  2  ounces  sal-ammoniac.  Mix 
thoroughly  and  keep  dry.  When  using,  mix 
one  part  of  this  composition  with  twenty 
parts  clear  filings  and  some  very  fine  sand. 
Make  into  s  stiff  paste  with  water. 

E.  H.  McClintock. 

West  Somerville,  Mass. 


Mixture    for    Making-   a   Porous    Casting 
Air-  and  Water-tig-ht 

To  make  a  porous  casting  air-  and 
water-tight  prepare  a  saturated  solution  of 
copper  sulphate,  mix  with  it  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  commercial  nitric  acid.  Dip  the 
casting  into  the  solution,  or  pour  it  over 
the  casting  on  all  sides  and  let  stand  for 
a  few  hours.  L.  S.  Burbank 

Worcester,  Mass. 


Alloy  for  Filling  Holes  in  Cast  Iron 

Melt  together  9  parts  of  lead,  2  parts  of 
antimony,  and  1  part  of  bismuth,  and  pour 
this  mixture  Into  the  hole,  first  somewhat 
warming  the  hole.  This  alloy  possesses  the 
quality  of  expanding  when  cooling,  hence 
becomes   solid    In    the   holes   when   cold. 

Dubuque,  Iowa.  E.  J.  Bucket. 


To    Close   Cracks   in   Castings 

The  following  mixture  has  been  success- 
fully used  in  filling  cracks  in  gas  engine 
water  jackets,  and  is  similar  in  nature  to 
the  ordinary  rust  joint  mixtures.  Prepare 
a  dry  mixture  of  17  parts  of  cast-iron 
filings,  2  parts  of  sal-ammoniac,  and  1  part 
of  flour  of  sulphur ;  add  twenty  times  the 
weight  of  new  iron  filings,  put  in  a  mortar 
and  add  water  so  as  to  obtain  a  paste. 
This  paste  is  applied  to  the  crack,  and  in 
a  short  time  becomes  as  hard  as  the  metal 
itself.  M.  E.  Canek. 


Cement   for   Cast   Iron 

To  make  a  cement  for  cast  iron  take  16 
ounces  cast-iron  borings ;  2  ounces,  sal-am- 
moniac ;  and  1  ounce,  sulphur.  Mix  well 
and  keep  dry.  When  ready  to  use  take  one 
part  of  this  powder  to  20  parts  of  cast-iron 
borings  and  mix  thoroughly  Into  a  stiff 
paste,  adding  a  little  water.  A.  A. 


Cement  for  Holes  and  Cracks  in 
Castings 

A  cement  for  holes  and  cracks  in  castings 
Is  made  of  6  parts  red  lead,  ground  in  oil ; 
3  parts  white  lead,  ground  in  oil ;  2  parts 
black  oxide  of  manganese ;  1  part  silicate 
of  soda ;  %  part  litharge.  Mis  and  use  as 
a  putty.  To  preserve  from  hardening,  put 
in  a  vessel  and  cover  with  water. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y.  C.  E.  Mink. 


Water  and  Oilproof  Cement 
Some  time  ago  I  built  a  gasoline  engine 
and  boat,  but  when  I  put  the  rig  on  the 
river  I  found  the  engine  would  run  for  a 
short  while  and  then  stop.  I  found  that 
the  cause  was  some  sand  holes  In  the  cylin- 
der which  admitted  water  Into  the  bore 
of  the  cylinder.  To  stop  the  holes  I  used 
litharge  and  glycerine  mixed  into  a  stiff 
paste.  The  cement  soon  got  as  hard  as 
iron  and  I  had  no  further  trouble  from 
leakage.  I  have  found  that  this  cement  is 
better  than  anything  else  I  have  ever  tried. 
Dayton,    Ky.  Albert    Elmigek. 


Amalgam  for  Stopping  Leaks,  Blowholes, 
etc. 

A  small  hole  or  crack  that  Is  diflScult  to 
get  at  or  that  cannot  well  be  soldered  may 
be  closed  with  an  amalgam  composed  of 
zinc,  66  parts ;  tin,  44  parts ;  and  suf- 
ficient mercury  to  make  a  stiff  dough.  The 
zinc  and  tin  are  to  be  melted  together  and 
afterwards  granulated.  The  latter  may  be 
done  by  slowly  pouring  the  melted  mixture 
through  a  strong  stream  of  water  from 
a  hose  nozzle ;  or  the  filings  may  be  used. 
The  filings  or  granules  are  kneaded  until 
an  amalgam  of  the  consistency  of  stiff 
dough  Is  formed  with  the  mercury.  Excess 
of  mercury  should  be  squeezed  out.  The 
plastic  mass  Is  then  forced  into  the  open- 
ing and  allowed  to  harden  for  an  hour  or 
two.  It  can  then  be  filed  and  scraped  like 
the  metal  Itself.  Only  as  much  amalgam 
should  be  mixed  as  is  required  for  Imme- 
diate use.  O.  M.  Becker. 

Chicago,   111. 


10 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Mixture  for  Pliig^gfing-  Holes  in  Cast  Iron 

A  good  mixture  for  plugging  blowholes 
in  cast  iron  is  made  of  sulphur,  cast-iron 
borings  sifted  very  fine,  and  graphite. 
Melt  the  sulphur  in  an  iron  ladle  and  stir 
in  as  much  of  the  sifted  borings  as  the 
sulphur  will  allow,  not  making  it  too  thick 
to  pour  readily.  Add  a  small  quantity  of 
the  graphite,  say  a  tablespoonful  to  a 
quart  of  the  mixture.  Pour  into  the  holes 
while  hot,  and  after  it  is  cool  smooth  off 
with  a  file.  When  holes  are  filled  with 
this  mixture  on  surfaces  to  be  machined  a 
finishing  cut  can  be  taken  over  it  which 
will  obliterate  the  holes.  R.  B.  Casey. 

Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


Tiller  for  Defective   Castings 
I    recommend    the   following   formula    for 
filling  defects  and  blowholes  in  castings.     I 


have  been  using  this  receipt  for  years  and 
it  is  the  result  of  many  experiments:  l^^ 
part  litharge;  2%  parts  dextrine;  4  parts 
Iron  borings  or  turnings  ca,refully  sifted. 
Mix  the  parts  well,  add  water  until  the 
mass  is  of  about  the  consistency  of  mortar. 
With  a  putty  knife  or  other  instrument 
fill  the  defective  parts  and  press  into  every 
crevice.  Let  it  "set"  for  48  hours,  when 
it  can  be  chipped,  planed,  bored  or  turned 
like  the  casting  itself.  Color  with  lamp- 
black to  suit  the  shade  of  casting. 

To  facilitate  the  measuring  of  parts,  use 
a  box  of  three  divisions,  made  to  the  fol- 
lowing dimensions  :  The  divisions  for  bor- 
ings should  be  4  inches  long,  2  inches  wide, 
1  inch  deep ;  for  dextrine,  4  inches  long, 
1  %  inch  wide,  1  inch  deep ;  for  litharge, 
4  inches  long,    %  inch  wide,  1  inch  deep. 

York,  Pa.  W.  W.  Birnstock. 


CEMENTS  FOR  PIPE  JOINTS 


steam  Pipe  Cement 
Mix   equal   parts,    by   weight,   of   oxide   of 
manganese,     pipe     clay     and     white     lead, 
ground  with   linseed  oil   varnish. 

E.  H.  McClintock. 
West  Somerville,  Mass. 


Substitute  for  Red  Lead  Applied  to 
Joints 

As  a  substitute  for,  or  in  the  absence  of 
red  lead,  use  varnish  on  air  or  steam  pipe 
joints.  It  will  dry  very  hard  and  last  for 
a  long  time.  Donald  A.  Hampson. 

Middletown,  N.  Y. 


Cement  for  Steam  Pipe  Joint 

A  good  cement  for  use  in  making  steam 
pipe  joints  is  made  in  the  following  man- 
ner. Grind  and  wash  in  clean  cold  water 
15  parts  of  chalk  and  50  parts  of  graphite. 
Mix  the  two  together  thoroughly  and  allow 
to  dry.  When  dry  regrind  to  a  fine  pow- 
der, to  which  add  20  parts  of  ground 
litharge  and  mix  to  a  stiff  paste  with  15 
parts  of  boiled  linseed  oil.  The  prepara- 
tion may  be  set  aside  for  future  use,  as  it 
will  remain  plastic  for  a  long  time  if  placed 
in  a  cool  place.  It  is  applied  to  the  joint 
packing  as  any  ordinary  cement  and  will 
be  found  to  last  a  very  long  time. 

Olney,   111.  T.   E.   O'Donnell. 

Impermeable    Cement   for   Pipes 

To  make  an  impermeable  cement  for 
steam,    air    and    gas    pipes    mix    thoroughly 


powdered  graphite,  6  parts ;  slaked  lime, 
3  parts ;  sulphur,  S  parts,  and  boiled  oil, 
7  parts.  The  mixture  must  be  thoroughly 
incorporated  by  protracted  kneading  until 
it  is  perfectly  smooth  and  free  from  lumps. 
Dayton,  Ohio.  O.  E.  Voris. 


To  Make  a  Water-tight  Joint 

Take  ordinary  white  lead,  and  mix 
enough  powdered  red  lead  with  it  to  make 
a  paste  the  consistency  of  putty.  Spread 
this  mixture  on  the  joint,  and  when  it 
hardens,  the  joint  will  be  perfectly  water- 
tight. We  used  this  mixture  on  flanges  on 
a  standpipe,  after  we  had  tried  all  kinds 
of  rubber  gaskets  without  success.  The 
mixture  hardened  and  made  a  tight  joint, 
never  leaking  afterward.  J.  D.  Page. 

Youngstown,   Ohio. 


Steam-tight  Joints 
Take  white  lead  ground  in  oil,  add  to  it 
as  much  black  oxide  of  manganese  as  pos- 
sible and  a  small  portion  of  litharge. 
Knead  with  the  hand,  dusting  the  board 
with  red  lead.  The  mass  is  made  into  a 
small  roll  and  screwed  or  pressed  into 
position,  the  joint  being  first  slightly  oiled 
with  linseed  oil.  R.  E.  Verse. 

Cement  for  Steam  and  Water  Pipes 
A  good  cement  for  joints  on  steam  or 
water  pipes  is  made  as  follows :  10  pounds 
fine  yellow  ochre ;  4  pounds  ground  lith- 
arge;  4  pounds  paris  white  (whiting),  and 
%  pound  of  hemp  cut  up  fine.  Mix  to- 
gether thoroughly  with  linseed  oil,  to  about 
the   consistency  of  putty.  R.    M. 


CEMENTS  FOR  CLOTH,  EMERY,  ETC. 


11 


Permanent  Iron  Cement  for  Steam  Pipes 

To  make  a  permanent  cement  used  for 
stopping  leaks  in  steam  pipes  where  calk- 
ing or  plugging  is  impossible,  mix  black 
oxide  of  manganese  and  raw  linseed  oil, 
using  enough  oil  with  the  manganese  to 
bring  it  to  a  thick  paste ;  apply  to  the 
pipe  or  joint  at  leak.  It  is  best  to  re- 
move pressure  from  the  pipe  and  keep  It 
sufficiently  warm  to  absorb  the  oil  from 
the  manganese.  In  twenty-four  hours  the 
cement  will  be  as  hard  as  the  iron  pipe. 

Oswego,  N.  Y.  James   H.  Taylor. 


any   other  cement.     It  dries   thoroughly   in 
from  10  to  12  hours.       T.  E.  O'Do.vxei.l 
Urbana,   111. 


Cement    for    Hig'li-pressure    Water    Pipe 
Joints 

A  highly  recommended  packing  and  ce- 
ment, combined,  for  making  tight  joints  in 
high  pressure  water  pipes,  is  made  as  fol- 
lows :  Mix  with  boiled  linseed  oil,  to  the 
consistency  of  putty,  these  ingredients : 
ground  litharge,  10  pounds ;  plaster  of 
paris,  4  pounds ;  yellow  ochre,  %  pound ; 
red  lead,  2  pounds ;  cut  hemp  fiber,  % 
ounce.  The  hemp  fiber  should  be  cut  in 
lengths  of  about  %  inch,  and  thoroughly 
mixed  into  the  putty  material.  Its  office  is 
to  give  consistency  to  the  cement.  The 
cement   is  applied   to   the  joint  similarly    to 


Cements  for  Iron  Joints 

The  following  are  cements  used  to  make 
the  joints  of  machinery  air  and  water 
tight : 

1.  Mix  ground  white  lead  with  one- 
fourth  its  weight  of  red  lead. 

2.  Mix  equal  parts  of  red  lead  and  white 
lead,  in  powdered  form,  with  enough  boiled 
linseed  oil  to  make  the  whole  a  soft,  putty- 
like  mass. 

o.  To  50  pounds  of  borings,  preferably 
cast  iron,  which  have  been  pounded  and 
sifted,  add  one  pound  of  sal-ammoniac. 
Mix  with  water  when  ready  to  use. 

4.  Boiled  linseed  oil  and  red  lead  mixed 
to  the  consistency  required.  A  small  quan- 
tity of  litharge  improves  the  cement  for 
many  purposes. 

5.  Cast-iron  borings  4  pounds,  dried 
potter's  clay  1  pound,  powdered  potsherds 
(broken  crockery)  1  pound.  Make  into  a 
paste  with  salt  and  water. 

I  have  used  all  of  these  cements  and  find 
them  satisfactory.  No.  3  is  used  largely 
for  filling  cracks  in  boilers,  etc.,  and  No.  5 
is  excellent  for  outdoor  iron  work,  water 
tanks,  etc.  F.  L.  Engei,. 

New   Britain,  Conn.' 


CEMENTS  FOR  ATTACHING  CLOTH, 
EMERY,   ETC.,  TO  IRON 


To  Fasten  Paper  Iiabels  to  Iron  or  Steel 

Rub  the  surface  over  with  an  onion  cut 
in  half.  Then  apply  the  label  with  glue 
or  paste.  L.   E.  Mcnct. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 


Attaching'  Cloth  to  Iron 

Heat  the  iron  so  it  will  be  just  too  hot 
to  touch  with  the  bare  hand,  put  on  a  coat 
of  red  shellac ;  have  the  cloth  already  cut, 
applying  it  quickly,  and  press  firmly  in 
place.  James   A.   Peatt. 

Howard,  R.  I. 


Silicate  of  Soda  Cement  for  Grinder 
Bisks 

We  use  silicate  of  soda  (liquid  glass)  for 
fastening  emery  disks  to  a  disk  grinder,  and 
think  it  is  the  best  cement  we  ever  tried. 
It  requires  no  haste  in  applying,  and  the 
hotter  the  disk  gets,  the  tighter  it  sticks. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y.  H.  G.  Herrick. 


Substitute  for  Cement  or  Grinder  Disks 

A  good  substitute  in  place  of  glue  or  vari- 
ous kinds  of  cement  for  fastening  emery 
cloth  to  the  disk  of  grinders  of  the  Gard- 
ner type  Is  to  heat  or  warm  the  disk  and 
apply  a  thin  coating  of  beeswax ;  then  put 
the  emery  cloth  in  place  and  allow  to  set 
or  cool  under  pressure.  G.  Hdber. 

Kansas  City,  Mo. 


To   Cement  Emery   Cloth  to   Polishing 
Bisk 

Apply  quickly  to  the  disk  with  a  broad 
flat  brush  a  coat  of  moderately  thick  shel- 
lac varnish.  Lay  on  the  emery  cloth  and 
place  under  a  press  at  once.  The  shellac 
varnish  must  be  clean  and  without  lumps 
as  these  may  not  be  pressed  down  to  an 
even  surface  and  so  cause  scratches  In  the 
work.  Oscar   E.   Perrigo. 

Neponset,  Mass. 


12 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To   Glue   Asbestos   or  Other  Fabric  to 
Iron 

One  of  the  most  reliable  cements  or  glues 
to  use  for  attaching  asbestos  or  any  other 
fabric  to  iron  is  silicate  of  soda.  It  is  suc- 
cessfully used  for  attaching  emery  paper 
disks  to  disk  grinders.  It  is  particularly 
useful  for  attaching  asbestos  to  furnace 
pipes,  because  it  stands  heat  well,  and  for 
this  reason  silicate  of  soda  is  an  all-around 
cement  of  much  value.  M.  E.  Canek. 


To  Cover  Iron  Pulleys  with  Rubber 

Thoroughly  clean  the  surface  of  the  pul- 
ley ;  if  the  pulley  has  just  been  turned  in 
the  lathe,  so  much  the  better.  Give  it  a 
thorough  wash  in  muriatic  acid  and  let 
stand  over  night.  In  the  morning  give  the 
iron  and  rubber  a  good  coat  of  heavy  yellow 
shellac  varnish  and  apply  the  rubber  and 
clamp.     Let  stand  until  thoroughly  set. 

Lakewood,  Ohio.  E.  B.  Gafkey. 


Cement    for    Attaching-    Soft    Rubber    to 
Iron   or    Other    Metals 

A  cement  which  is  effective  for  cement- 
ing rubber  to  iron  and  which  is  specially 
valuable  for  fastening  rubber  bands  to  band- 
saw  wheels  Is  made  as  follows :  Powdered 
shellac,  1  part ;  strong  water  of  ammonia, 
10  parts.  Put  the  shellac  in  the  ammonia 
water  and  set  it  away  in  a  tightly  closed 
Jar  for  three  or  four  weeks.     In   that  time 


the  mixture  will  become  a  perfectly  liquid 
transparent  mass  and  is  then  ready  for  use. 
When  applied  to  rubber  the  ammonia 
softens  it,  but  it  quickly  evaporates,  leaving 
the  rubber  in  the  same  condition  as  before. 
The  shellac  clings  to  the  iron  and  thus 
forms  a  firm  bond  between  the  iron  and  the 
rubber.  M.  E.  Canek. 

Altay,  N.  Y. 

Cement    for    Sticking-    Emery    Paper    on 
Small    Grinder    Disks 

Melt  together  5  parts  paraffine,  4  parts 
beeswax  and  1  part  rosin.  When  cold,  cut 
into  blocks,  and  apply  evenly  on  the  re- 
volving disk  until  it  has  a  thin  coat  over 
its  entire  surface.  The  emery  paper 
should  then  be  pressed  on  the  disk  while  it 
is  still  revolving,  thereby  slightly  heating 
both  the  disk  and  the  paper,  and  causing 
the  cement  to  spread  In  a  thin  layer  all 
around  the  disk.  The  belt  should  then  be 
shifted  onto  the  loose  pulley,  so  that  the 
paper  may  be  pressed  closely  to  the  disk. 
The  corners  may  then  be  trimmed  off  with 
an  old  file.  It  requires  a  little  practice  to 
perform  the  .iob  successfully,  but  the 
method  is  much  superior  to  removing  the 
disk  and  gluing  the  emery  paper  on  In  a 
press.  The  worn-out  paper  can  be  more 
easily  removed,  it  being  only  necessary  to 
wait  until  the  disk  is  cool,  when,  by  taking 
hold  of  one  portion  of  the  paper,  it  may  be 
ripped  right  off.        ,        H.  J.  Bachmann. 

New  York. 


CEMENTS  FOR  LEATHER,  AND  LEATHER  AND  METALS 


A  Belt  Cement 

To  make  a  reliable  belt  cement  use  1  pound 
of  Peter  Cooper's  white  glue  and  1  ounce 
of  powdered  white  lead  ;  mix  like  ordinary 
glue  (thick).  When  used  it  should  be 
thinned  to  the  required  consistency  with 
grain  alcohol  and  applied  hot.  This  ce- 
ment is  particularly  valuable  where  long, 
hard  usage  is  required,  such  as  for  dynamo 
belts.  J.  H.  V. 


Belt   Cement 

Put  15  pounds  of  best  glue  in  a  kettle 
and  pour  over  it  5  gallons  of  cold  water. 
Let  it  stand  a  few  hours  or  over  night  in 
a  cold  room,  after  which  dissolve  by  gentle 
heat.  Stir  in  one  pint  of  Venice  turpentine 
and  add  one  gallon  of  Martin's  belt  cement. 
Cook  for  four  or  five  hours  by  gentle  heat, 
being  careful  not  to  boil  the  mixture.  A 
water  or  steam  jacketed  kettle  should  be 
used  to  avoid  burning.  If  too  thick,  mix 
with  water.  Albert  F.  Babbitt. 

Attleboro,   Mass. 


Cement  for  Iieather  Belts 
To  prepare  a  good  cement  for  leather 
belts,  soften  equal  parts  of  good  hide-glue 
and  American  isinglass,  in  warm  water  for 
about  10  hours.  Mix  the  two  ingredients 
together  thoroughly  and  then  pour  on  a 
quantity  of  pure  tannin  and  boil  until  the 
mass  is  sticky.  Just  enough  tannin  should 
be  added  so  that  the  mass  will  have  a  good 
consistency  when  boiling  hot.  To  apply  the 
cement,  roughen  the  surfaces  to  be  cemented 
and  apply  the  cement  while  It  is  very  hot. 
Press  the  parts  together  firmly  and  hold 
in    that    position    until    dry. 

Olney,   111.  T.   E.  O'Don.vell. 


Cement     for     Iieather     Belts 

To  make  a  cement  for  leather  belts  use 
gutta  percha,  16  parts ;  pure  white  India 
rubber,  4  parts ;  dissolve,  and  then  add 
pitch,  2  parts ;  shellac,  1  part ;  and  boiled 
linseed  oil,  2  parts.  W.  R.  Bowers. 

Birmingham,   Eng. 


CEMENTS  FOR  LEATHER 


13 


Cement    for    Iieatber 

One  ounce  shellac,  2  ounces  pitch,  2 
ounces  linseed  oil,  4  ounces  caoutcbouc,  1 
pound  gutta  percha.  Melt  togetner  and 
apply  Lot.  B.  H.  McClintock. 

West  Somerville,  Mass. 


Cement    for    Belts 

Mix  5  ounces  bisulphite  of  carbon  with 
%  ounce  spirits  of  turpentine,  and  enough 
gutta  percha  to  make  a  paste.  Thin  the 
ends  of  the  belt  so  that  when  they  are 
joined  the  thickness  at  the  joint  is  the 
same  as  the  thickness  of  the  belt.  If  the 
belt  ends  are  greasy,  apply  some  blotting 
paper  and  a  hot  iron  to  free  them  from 
grease.  Then  apply  some  of  the  paste, 
and  press  the  parts  together,  using  screw 
clamps  and  two  pieces  of  board  of  the 
same  width  as  the  belt.  The  cement  will 
dry  in  a  short  time,  when  the  clamps  can 
be  removed.  I  have  cemented  belts  in  this 
way  at  night,  and  in  the  morning  they 
were  as  nicely  joined  as  could  be  wished. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal.  J.  M.  Menegus. 


Cement   for   Slicking   Leather   Tillet    on 
Brass  Patterns 

Melt  together  8  parts  pure  beeswax  and 
2  parts  rosin ;  cut  into  strips  when  cold 
and  apply  with  a  slicking  tool  of  the 
proper  radius.  A  piece  of  wire  set  into  a 
steel  ball,  and  heated  over  a  Bunsen  burner 
is  the  best  for  this  purpose.  The  pattern 
should  be  slightly  warmed  to  enable  the 
cement  to  flow  between  the  leather  and 
brass.  When  cold  any  superfluous  cement 
may  be  removed  with  a  piece  of  waste 
soaked  in   spirits  of  turpentine. 

New  York.  H.  J.  Bachmann. 


Cement  for  Leather  Belts 
In  an  ordinary  glue-pot  soak  overnight 
a  pound  of  good  fish  glue  in  a  pint  of  cold 
water.  Heat  this  up,  stirring  until  com- 
pletely dissolved.  Then  add  one  ounce  of 
dry  white  lead.  When  the  mixture  has 
been  again  thoroughly  stirred  and  is  nearly 
cool,  add  one  ounce  of  grain  alcohol,  and 
stir  it  well  in.  Heat  up  the  cement  again 
when  it  is  wanted  for  use.  In  the  use  of 
this  cement  care  should  be  taken  to  have 
the  laps  freshly  and  smoothly  cut,  and  as 
clean  as  possible.  The  cement  should  be 
evenly  spread  with  a  brush  over  both  sur- 
faces and  the  surfaces  placed  in  contact 
as  quickly  as  possible,  and  on  each  side 
of  the   lapped   belt   should  be  placed   a   pre- 


viously warmed  board  and  the  whole 
clamped  together  for  an  hour  or  two  ac- 
cording to  the  width  of  the  belt,  its  thick- 
ness and  the  amount  of  strain  it  will  have 
to  stand.  This  cement  can  be  made  In 
larger  quantities  by  observing  the  same 
proportions,  and  when  cool  it  may  be  cut 
up  into  small  pieces  and  kept  in  good  condi- 
tion In  a  fruit  jar  tightly  closed.  When 
it  Is  wanted  it  will  not  be  necessary  to 
heat  up  more  than  is  wanted  for  the  job 
in  hand.  Oscar  E.  Perrigo. 

Neponset,  Mass. 


Glne  for  Leather  Belts 

Take  common  glue  and  isinglass,  equal 
parts;  place  them  in  a  glue  pot,  cover  with 
water,  let  soak  10  hours,  bring  to  a  boiling 
heat,  add  pure  tannin  to  make  to  consist- 
ency of  the  white  of  an  egg.  Apply  warm, 
have  surfaces  clean  and  dry ;  clamp  joint 
firmly  and  let  dry.  L.  B.  MuNcy. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 


Cement    for    Fixing*    Leather    or    Paper 
to   Pulleys 

Soak  six  pounds  of  carriage  glue  over 
night;  then  heat  until  thoroughly  dis- 
solved and  add  six  pounds  of  white  lead 
ground  in  oil.  Reduce  the  mixture  with 
oil  until  it  is  of  a  free  working  consist- 
ency. Now  add  one  ounce  of  nitric  acid 
and  stir  until  thoroughly  mixed.  The  pul- 
ley surface  should  be  made  thoroughly 
clean  and  should  be  warmed  to  about  125 
degrees  F.  Then  apply  the  cement  and 
clamp  on  the  leather  and  let  stand  twelve 
hours  before  using.  If  the  job  is  done 
right,  the  leather  will  have  to  be  turned 
off  in  a  lathe  in  order  to  remove  it. 

Lakewood,  Ohio.  E.  B.  Gafkey. 


Cheap  Cement  for  General  Use 

To  make  a  cheap  cement  for  general  use, 
mix  gum  acacia  (pulverized),  1  ounce; 
French  isinglass,  2  ounces ;  vinegar,  4 
ounces  ;  essence  of  sassafras.  5  drops.  After 
mixing  allow  it  to  stand  for  12  hours,  then 
heat  until  thoroughly  dissolved  when  it  is 
ready  for  use.  For  covering  pulleys  with 
leather,  paper,  etc.,  add  %  ounce  glycerine 
to  one  quart  of  cement,  heat  and  use  while 
hot.  Oily  belts  can  be  successfully  spliced 
with  this  cement  by  rubbing  the  scarfed 
ends  with  powdered  sal-soda  and  applying 
a  coat  of  cement,  which  is  allowed  to  dry  ; 
then  apply  a  second  coating  and  put  to- 
gether. J.   H.  V. 


14 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Cement  for  Iieather  and  Iron 
To  face  a  cast-iron  pulley  with  leather 
apply  acetic  acid  to  the  face  of  the  pulley 
with  a  brush  which  will  roughen  it  by 
rusting,  and  then  when  dry  apply  a  cement 
made  of  one  pound  of  fish  glue,  and  % 
pound  of  common  glue,  melted  in  a  mix- 
ture of  alcohol  and  water.  The  leather 
should  then  be  placed  on  the  pulley  and 
■dried  under  pressure.  K.  M. 


Cement  for  Holding'  Iieather  on  Iron 
Pulleys    for    Band    Saws 

First  soak  twelve  ounces  of  good  glue  in 
cold  water.  Put  four  ounces  of  boiled  oil 
and  four  ounces  of  turpentine  into  the  glue 
pot,  and  in  this  dissolve  three  ounces  of 
resin.  When  the  resin  is  dissolved,  add  the 
glue.  The  resin  and  glue  should  be  well 
stirred  while  dissolving. 

Before  applying  the  leather  cover  to  a 
pulley  have  it  warm  and  dry,  and  scrape 
off  all  matter  that  may  have  accumulated 
on  Its  face.  Then,  with  a  swab,  apply 
muriatic  acid  (full  strength)  to  all  parts 
of  the  face  of  the  pulley.  When  dry,  wipe 
gently  with  waste.  Cut  leather  lengthwise 
of  hide,  and  a  little  wider  than  the  face  of 
the  pulley.  Have  the  cement  melted  in  the 
glue  pot,  apply  it  across  the  face  of  the 
pulley,  with  a  brush,  for  about  six  or  eight 


inches,  lay  on  the  end  of  leather  and  rub 
it  down  hard  with  the  corner  of  a  piece  of 
wood.  Fold  back  the  leather  and  continue 
to  apply  cement  until  the  pulley  is  covered. 
Two  thicknesses  of  leather  are  used.  Make 
the  first  thickness  a  butt  joint,  and  the  last 
a  scarf  or  lap  joint  of  about  three  or  four 
Inches  long.  Make  the  laps  on  the  driven 
pulleys  the  way  they  run,  and  on  the  driv- 
ers the  opposite  way.  Pulleys  should  be 
cleaned  by  holding  a  piece  of  coarse  sand 
paper  against  them.  R.  F.  Williams. 

Montreal,  Canada. 


Cement   for   Fastening   Iieather   to   Iron 

To  make  a  good  quality  of  glue  for 
fastening  leather  to  iron,  as  required  when 
covering  iron  pulleys  with  leather,  etc.,  the 
following  will  be  found  to  be  a  good  re- 
ceipt: To  one  part  of  glue  dissolved  in 
strong  cider  vinegar  add  1  ounce  of  Venice 
turpentine.  Allow  this  to  boil  very  slowly 
over  a  moderate  fire  for  10  to  12  hours.  It 
should  be  applied  to  the  surface  of  the 
iron,  upon  which  the  leather  Is  to  be  ce- 
mented, with  a  brush,  while  it  is  still  quite 
warm.  Before  applying,  the  iron  surface 
and  the  leather  should  be  scraped  perfectly 
clean.  Then  put  on  the  leather,  press  it 
firmly  into  place  and  allow  to  dry  for  a 
few  hours. 

Urbana,   111.  T.   E.    O'Donnell. 


CEMENTS  FOR  ATTACHING  GLASS  AND  MARBLE 

TO  METALS 


■Cement    for    Fastening'    Glass    Work    to 
Brass  Tubes 
A    cement    for    fastening    glass    work    to 
brass    tubes    is    made    of    rosin,    5    ounces ; 
beeswax,    1    ounce ;   and   red   ochre   or   Vene- 
tian red,  in  powder,  1   ounce. 

Birmingham,   Eng.  W.   R.  Bowers. 


Cement  for  'Uniting'  Glass  and  Brass 

It  is  often  necessary,  in  electrical  fac- 
tories and  repair  shops,  to  cement  small 
brass  parts  to  glass.  A  good  cement  for 
this  purpose  is  made  from  the  following : 
1  part  caustic  soda,  3  parts  resin,  3  parts 
plaster  of  paris,  5  parts  water.  Boil  all 
the  constituents  together  until  thoroughly 
mixed,  and  then  allow  to  cool  before  using. 
The  cement  hardens  in  half  an  hour.  If  it 
is  desired  that  it  should  not  harden  so 
quickly,  substitute  zinc  white,  white  lead, 
•  or  slaked  lime,  for  the  plaster. 

Urbana,   111.  T.  E.  O'Doxnell. 


Cement   for  Attaching  Metal  to   Glass 

To  make  a  cement  for  attaching  metal 
to  glass  mix  2  ounces  thick  glue,  1  ounce 
linseed  oil,  %  ounce  turpentine.  Boil  to- 
gether for  a  short  time  when  it  will  be  fit 
for  use.  Apply  hot  with  a  brush  and 
clamp  the  parts  together  for  aoout  two 
days   to   allow    the   cement   to   dry. 

R.    M.    K. 


Cement   for   Fastening   Metals   to   Glass 

Melt  together  in  a  water  bath  15  parts 
of  copal  varnish,  5  parts  of  drying  oil,  and 
3  parts  of  turpentine.  When  the  ingredi- 
ents are  well  mixed  add  10  parts  slaked 
lime.  An  elastic  cement  for  fastening  brass 
to  glass  may  be  made  by  mixing  5  ounces 
of  resin,  1  ounce  beeswax,  and  1  ounce  of 
red  ochre  or  Venetian  red  in  powdered 
form.  Melt  the  rosin  and  beeswax  together 
by  gentle  heat,  and  gradually  stir  in  the 
Venetian   red.  W.   R.  Bowers. 

Birmingham,  England. 


MISCELLANEOUS  CEMENTS 


15 


Cement    for    Switchboard    Repairs 

A  good  cement  for  making  repairs  on 
switctiboards,  when  iron  or  other  metal 
has  to  be  fastened  to  marble,  or  where 
binding  posts  have  been  pulled  out,  may  be 
made  to  consist  of  30  parts  plaster  of  paris, 
10  parts  iron  filings,  and  V2  part  of  sal- 
ammoniac.      These    are    mixed    with    acetic 


acid  (vinegar)  to  form  a  thin  paste.  This 
cement  must  always  be  used  immediately 
after  being  ml.xed,  as  it  solidifies  If  allowed 
to  stand  for  any  length  of  time.  It  will  be 
found  to  be  an  excellent  means  for  filling 
up  old  binding-post  holes,  when  Instru- 
ments have  boen  moved.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 
Urbana,    111. 


CEMENTS    FOR    GLUING   EMERY,   METALS,  ETC.,   TO    WOOD 


Cement    for    Fastening*    Tools    in    Their 
Handles 

Mix .  one    part    beeswax,     one     part     fine 
brick  dust  and   four   parts   black  rosin. 

E.    H.    McClintock. 
West   S'omervllle,   Mass. 


Cement   for   Gluing*   Emery   to   Wood   or 
Metal 

The  following  is  a  good  receipt  for  gluing 
emery  to  wood  or  metal  and  I  have  used  It 
with  success  where  other  cements  have 
failed.  Melt  together  equal  parts  of  shel- 
lac, white  rosin  and  carbolic  acid  (In  crys- 
tals) adding  the  carbolic  acid  after  the 
shellac  and  rosin  have  been  melted.  This 
makes  a  cement  having  great  holding 
power.  W.    T. 

To    Fasten    Rubher    to    Wood 

Make  a  cement  by  macerating  virgin  gum 
rubber,  or  as  pure  rubber  as  can  be  had, 
cut  in  small  pieces,  In  just  enough  naptha 
or  gasoline   to  cover  it.     Let  it  stand  In  a 


very  tightly  corked  or  scaled  jar  for  four- 
teen days,  or  a  sufficient  time  to  become 
dissolved,  shaking  the  mixture  daily. 

Another  cement  Is  made  by  dissolving 
pulverized  gum  shellac,  1  ounce,  In  9^^ 
ounces  of  strong  ammonia.  This  of  course 
must  be  kept  tightly  corked.  It  will  not 
be  as  elastic  as  the  first  preparation. 

Neponset,  Mass.         Oscar  E.  Perrigo. 


Cement  for  Joining"  Metals  to  Wood 

Dissolve  in  boiling  water  2^4  pounds 
glue,  2  ounces  gum  ammoniac  and  drop  by 
drop  2   ounces  of  sulphuric  acid. 

Birmingham,  Eng.  W.  R.  Bowers. 


Cement   for   Fastening   Emery    to   Wood 

Melt  and  mix  equal  parts  of  shellac, 
white  rosin  and  carbolic  acid  In  crystals. 
Add  the  acid  after  the  other  two  Ingredi- 
ents are  melted.  W.  R.  Bowers. 

Birmingham,  England. 


CEMENTS  FOR  MISCELLANEOUS  PURPOSES 


Shellac  Cement 

Shellac  Is  the  basis  of  most  adhesive 
cements.  A  good  one  is  made  by  thicken- 
ing shellac  varnish  (shellac  dissolved  in 
alcohol)  with  dry  white  lead,  mixing  the 
two  with  a  putty  knife  on  a  piece  of  glass. 

St.  Johnsbury,  Vt.         W.  H.  Sargent. 


A  Cement  for  Mending  Rubber  Goods 

Dissolve  raw  gum  rubber  or  caoutchouc 
In  bisulphide  of  carbon  for  a  number  of 
days  In  a  tightly  stopped  bottle  until  It 
has  the  consistency  of  a  thick  paste.  Make 
the  surfaces  to  be  cemented  clean  and  dry 
before  applying,  and  press  joint  tightly  to- 
gether. L.   E.  MUNCY. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 


Cement  Not  Affected  by  Alcohol 

Gold  size  Is  valuable  as  a  cement  for  set- 
ting together  parts  of  vessels  containing  al- 
cohol as  It  Is  not  affected  by  alcohol  as  are 
some  other  good  cements.  It  has  been  used 
for  setting  the  glass  covers  of  circular  levels, 
the  glass  afterward  being  burred  over  in  the 
brass  shell  so  that  It  Is  securely  held  me- 
chanically. Ordinary  painters'  size  Is  used, 
which  may  be  prepared  as  follows :  Boll  raw 
oil  In  a  pan  until  It  smokes,  then  set  it  on 
fire  and  let  bum  for  a  few  moments.  Cover 
the  pan  to  extinguish  the  blaze  and  pour 
while  warm  into  a  receptacle  containing  red 
lead  and  litharge  In  the  proportion  of  one 
ounce  of  each  to  a  quart  of  oil.  Keep  at  a 
temperature  of  70  degrees  for  ten  days  and 
agitate  once  a  day.  M.  E.  Canek. 


16 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Acid-proof   Cement 
Mix  a  concentrated  solution  of  soda  with 
pulverized  glass  to  form  a  paste. 

Biimingham,  Eng.  W.  R.  Bowers. 


Glycerine-lithargfe  Cement 
A  handy  cement  to  have  in  the  shop  for 
stopping  leaks,  etc.,  and  which  can  be  used 
for  cementing  glass,  brass,  etc.,  is  made  by 
mixing  equal  parts  of  litharge,  commercial 
glycerine  and  Portland  cement.  This  ce- 
ment will  harden  under  water  and  will 
withstand    hydrocarbon    vapors. 

Dayton,  Ohio.  O.  E.  Voris. 


Portland-tar  Cement 

A  valuable  cement  used  In  marine  practice 
and  other  places  where  elasticity  is  desir- 
able, is  made  by  mixing  Portland  cement  in 
gas  tar  until  the  consistency  is  that  of  stiflf 
putty.  It  must  be  applied  immediately  as 
it  quickly  hardens.  It  is  not  affected  by 
water  and  never  becomes  brittle,  a  fact  that 
makes  it  very  valuable  around  the  tall- 
shafts  of  steamers  or  wherever  there  is 
much  vibration.  A.  L.  Graffam. 

Hampton,  Va. 


Waterproof  Cements 

To  make  a  good  waterproof  cement  in  a 
thin  paste  form,  dissolve  1  ounce  powdered 
resin  in  10  oimces  strong  ammonia  and 
add  5  parts  gelatine  and  1  part  solution 
of  acid  chromate  of  lime.  For  waterproof 
cement    in    paste    form,    add    to    hot    starch 


paste  one-half  its  weight  of  turpentine  and 
a  small  piece  of  alum.     T.  E.  O'Donnell. 
Urbana,  111. 


Cement  for  Arc   Lamp   Carbons 

The  short  ends  of  old  arc  lamp  carbons 
may  be  cemented  together  to  form  rods 
which  burn  quite  well,  and  are  no  more 
brittle  than  ordinary  carbons.  The  cement 
required  is  made  by  mixing  potassium  sili- 
cate and  carbon  dust  to  a  consistency  of  a 
thick  paste.  The  ends  of  the  short  carbon 
pieces  are  faced  off  square,  and,  after  ap- 
plication of  the  paste,  are  pressed  together 
by   hand.  0.   G. 


Waterproof    Cements    for    Glass 

Probably  the  simplest  and  best  aquarium 
cement  (the  formula  for  which  is  recom- 
mended by  the  United  States  Fish  Com- 
mission) is  made  as  follows:  Stir  together 
by  weight  8  parts  pulverized  putty  (dry 
whiting),  1  part  red  lead  and  1  part 
litharge.  Mix  as  wanted  for  use  with  pure 
raw  linseed  oil  to  a  consistency  of  stiff 
putty.     Allow  it  to  dry  a  week  before  using. 

Another  waterproof  cement  is  made  by 
dry  mixing  10  parts  each  by  measure  of  fine 
dry  white  sand  plaster  of  paris  and  litharge 
and  1  part  powdered  resin.  Mix  as  re- 
quired to  a  stiff  putty  with  boiled  linseed 
oil.  The  linseed  oil  must  be  free  from  any 
trace  of  adulteration  with  fish  oil.  It  is 
sometimes  necessary  to  boll  pure  raw  lin- 
seed oil  a  few  moments  to  drive  off  the 
water.  A.    L.    Graffam. 

Indiana,  Pa. 


GLUES  AND  THEIR  PREPARATION 


To    Waterproof    Glued    Joints 

To  render  glued  joints  waterproof,  rub 
common  chalk  on  the  surface  of  the  wood 
where  the  glue  is  to  be  applied,  and  then 
coat  with  ordinary  glue  in  the  usual  man- 
ner. The  chalk  will  protect  the  glue  from 
moisture  so  that  the  joint  will  hold  as  well 
after  being  soaked  in  water  as  before.  I 
tested  this  method  some  time  ago  and  found 
that  it  works  very  well.     W.  S.  Leoxard. 

Lansing,  Mich. 


Use  of  Glue 

A  mistake  not  uncommonly  made  by 
infrequent  users  of  glue  is  to  break  up  dry 
glue  in  hot  water.  This  is  bad  practice  as 
the  adhesiveness  is  greatly  impaired.  Al- 
ways soak  dry  glue  in  cold  water  and  then 
cook,  but  do  not  cook  too  long,  as  this  is 
injurious     also.        Glue     that     has     soured 


should  not  be  used,  and  every  precaution 
should  be  taken  to  keep  it  sweet  if  the  best 
results  would  be  obtained.     M.  E.  Canek. 


Glues  V/liicli  Resist  Moisture 

A  glue  cement  that  resists  moisture  Is 
made  by  mixing  with  the  least  possible 
quantity  of  water  Impart  glue,  1  part  rosin 
and   14   part  red  ochre. 

Another  glue  which  resists  moisture  is 
made  of  one  pint  glue  melted  in  two  quarts 
skimmed  milk.  Add  powdered  chalk  to 
make   it   stronger. 

A  marine  glue  is  made  of  one  part  of 
india  rubber,  12  parts  naphtha.  Heat 
gently,  mix  and  add  20  parts  of  powdered 
shellac.  Pour  out  on  a  slab  to  cool.  When 
used  it  has  to  be  heated  to  about  250  de- 
grees   F.  A.    L.    MONEAD. 

New   Haven,   Conn. 


ETCHING  FLUIDS 


17 


To  Make  Iiiqnid  Glue 
Take  one  quart  soft  water  and  2  pounds 
of  pale  glue ;  dissolve  in  a  covered  vessel 
by  the  heat  of  a  water  bath,  cool,  and  add 
gradually  7  ounces  of  nitric  acid  (specific 
gravity  1.335).  This  glue  is  very  strong 
and  will   not  gelatinize.  C.  S. 


To  Prevent  Glue  Cracking' 
A  useful  fact  to  know  in  regard  to  glue 


when  using  it  on  furniture  or  other  work 
that  will  be  exposed  to  a  very  dry  atmo- 
sphere, is  that  a  small  addition  of  chloride 
of  lime  will  tend  to  prevent  the  glue  dry- 
ing out  and  cracking.  The  chloride  of  lime 
Is  strongly  hygroscopic  and  constantly  at- 
tracts enough  moisture  from  the  atmosphere 
to  keep  it  moist.  Use  about  one-fourtb 
ounce  of  chloride  to  one  quart  of  glue. 

M.   E.  Canek. 


ETCHING  FLUIDS 


Etching    Fluid 

I  have  found  the  following  receipt  for  a 
fluid  for  etching  steel  to  be  very  satisfac- 
tory, both  for  frosting  effect  and  deep  etch- 
ing. Mix  1  ounce  sulphate  of  copper,  y^ 
ounce  alum,  %  teaspoonful  of  salt  (reduced 
to  powder),  with  1  gill  of  vinegar  and  20 
drops  of  nitric  acid.  This  fluid  can  be  used 
either  for  etching  deeply  or  for  frosting,  ac- 
cording to  the  time  it  is  allowed  to  act. 
The  parts  of  the  work  which  are  not  to  be 
etched  should  be  protected  with  beeswax  or 
some  similar  substance.  S.  C. 


IiicLuid  for  EtcMng-  on  Steel 

The  following  solution  will  be  found  ex- 
cellent and  reliable  either  for  very  deep 
etching  upon  steel,  or  for  the  purpose  of 
producing  beautiful  frosted  effects  upon  the 
surface.  Mix  together  1  ounce  sulphuric 
acid,  %  ounce  alum,  %  teaspoonful  salt,  14 
pint  acetic  acid  or  vinegar,  and  20  drops 
concentrated  nitric  acid.  The  etching  effect 
produced  by  this  solution  depends  upon  the 
length  of  time  it  is  allowed  to  act  upon 
the  metal.  It  is  applied  In  the  same  way 
as  ordinary  etching  acid. 

Urbana,  111.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 


EtcMng  Acid 

The  various  receipts  for  etching  acid  to 
be  used  on  steel  in  most  cases  call 
for  two-thirds  muriatic  acid.  I  find  that 
the  object  of  the  muriatic  acid  is  simply  to 
remove  the  grease  and  foreign  substance 
from  the  steel,  and  that  if  only  enough 
muriatic  acid  is  used  to  accomplish  this 
purpose,  the  etching  acid  will  work  better 
and  quicker.  I  have  used  etching  acid  with 
muriatic  and  nitric  acids  in  almost  all  pro- 
portions and  have  found  none  so  good  as 
two-thirds  nitric  to  one-third  of  muriatic 
acid.  In  some  cases  I  have  had  good  suc- 
cess even  with  a  less  proportion  of  the 
latter  ingredient.  Geo.   W.  Smith. 

Marquette,  Mich. 


Etching    riuid    for    Steel 

The  following  receipt  for  etching  fluid 
for  steel,  was  highly  recommended  to  me, 
and  I  have  tried  it  in  comparison  with  an- 
other fluid  on  hardened  steel.  I  found  It 
win  make  very  neat  and  sharply  defined 
lines,   and   does   the  work   very  quickly  : 

Nitric  acid,  60  parts :  water,  120  parts ; 
alcohol,  200  parts,  and  copper^nitrate,  8 
parts.  Keep  in  a  bottle  having  glass  stop- 
per. To  use  the  fluid,  cover  the  surface  to 
be  marked  with  a  thin  even  coat  of  wax 
and  mark  the  lines  with  a  machinist's 
scrlber.  Wrap  a  bit  of  clean  waste  around 
the  end  of  the  scrlber  or  a  stick,  and  dip- 
ping same  in  the  fluid,  apply  it  to  the 
marked  surface.  In  a  few  minutes  the  wax 
may  be  scraped  off,  when  fine  lines  will 
appear  where  the  scriber  marked  the  wax. 
The  drippings  from  a  lighted  wax  candle 
can  be  used  for  the  coating,  and  this  may 
be  evenly  spread  with  a  knife  heated  In 
the  candle   flame.  W.    S.   Leonard. 

Lansing,   Mich. 


AcMs    for   Etching 

Soft  Steel. — Nitric  acid,  1  part ;  water, 
4  parts. 

Hard  Steel. — Nitric  acid,  2  parts  ;  acetic 
acid,  1   part. 

Deep  Etching. — Hydrochloric  acid,  10 
parts ;  chlorate  of  potash,  2  parts ;  water, 
88  parts. 

Etching  Bronze. — Nitric  acid,  100  parts; 
muriatic  acid,  5  parts. 

Brass. — Nitric  acid,  16  parts,  water, 
160  parts.  Dissolve  six  parts  potassium 
chlorate  In  100  parts  of  water,  then  mix 
the  two  solutions  and  apply. 

Where  the  name.  Initials,  or  monogram 
is  etched  on  a  tool,  for  instance  a  square 
blade,  black  asphaltum  varnish  makes  the 
best  "resist."  Have  a  rubber  stamp  made 
with  the  design  you  wish  to  etch  and 
stamp  the  tools  with  the  same,  using  the 
varnish  as  you  would  ink  on  the  stamp, 
the  stamp  having  a  fancy  border  around 
the  outside  edge.  This  method  leaves  the 
letters  or  design  in  relief  and  makes  an 
unique  appearance.  E.  W.  Norton. 


18 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Etching'  Solution 

The  etching  solution  made  by  the  follow- 
ing formula  has  an  advantage  over  other 
etching  solutions  in  that  it  will  not  rust  the 
most  highly  polished  steel,  and  It  Is  not 
In  any  way  injurious  to  the  hands  or  cloth- 
ing— as  a  matter  of  fact  the  hands  can  be 
dipped  into  it  with  no  ill  effects.  Mix  6 
ounces  distilled  water ;  4  ounces  sulphate 
of  copper,  4  ounces  chloride  of  sodium 
(common  salt);  1  dram  sulphate  of  zinc; 
%  dram  sulphate  of  alum.  The  solution  is 
applied  in  the  following  manner :  The  piece 
to  be  marked  is  covered  with  melted  bees- 
wax, and  the  inscription  to  be  etched  is 
marked  through  the  wax  with  a  fine  pointed 
tool,  leaving  the  wax  undisturbed  save 
where  the  marking  is  to  appear.  The  mark- 
ings are  then  filled  with  the  fluid  and  al- 
lowed to  stand  for  three  hours.  The  result 
will  be  a  very  sharp  and  distinct  lettering. 

rhiladelphia,   Pa.  L.   Meyers. 


To   Write  on  Steel 

Stamping  tools  with  steel  stamps  will 
spring  them  and  throw  them  out  of  true. 
Machinists  should  write  their  names  on 
their  steel  tools  using  a  fluid  made  of 
nitric  acid  1  part,  water  2  parts.  Heat  the 
tool  gently  until  some  wax  that  ha:'s  been 
put  on  it  melts  and  spreads  thinly  over  the 
surface.  When  cold  blacken  the  wax  at  a 
candle ;  then  write  on  the  wax  with  a  steel 
point  deep  enough  to  touch  the  metal,  and 
cover  the  writing  with  the  fluid.  In  about 
three  minutes  wash  and  remove  the  wax. 
This  fluid,  however,  will  spread  more  or 
less  and  the  writing  will  not  be  very  flne. 
A  better  fluid  can  be  made  thus :  Alcohol 
2  parts,  nitric  acid  1  part,  distilled  water 
15  parts,  and  nitrate  of  silver  %  dram 
per  quart  of  fluid.  Nitric  acid,  however, 
produces  vapors  that  are  disagreeable  and 
harmful.  Chromic  acid  made  by  dissolving 
one  part  of  bichromate  of  potash  in  5  parts 
of  sulphuric  acid,  for  this  reason  is  more 
desirable  as  an  etching  fluid,  although  much 
slower  in  its  action.  J.  M.  Menegcs. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal. 


lead  pencil  (which  is  very  much  preferable 
to  a  scriber)  write  or  mark  as  wanted 
through  the  wax  so  as  to  be  sure  to  strike 
the  steel  surface.  Then  daub  on  with  a 
.stick  some  etching  acid  made  as  follows : 
.S  parts  nitric  acid ;  1  part  muriatic  acid. 
If  a  lead  pencil  has  been  used  the  acid  will 
begin  to  bubble  Immediately.  Two  or  three 
minutes  of  the  bubbling  or  foaming  will  be 
sufBclent  for  marking,  then  soak  up  the 
acid  with  a  small  piece  of  blotting  paper 
and  remove  the  beeswax  with  a  piece  of 
waste  wet  with  benzine,  and  if  the  piece  be 
small  enough  dip  it  into  a  saturated  solu- 
tion of  sal  soda,  or  if  the  piece  be  large 
swab  over  it  with  a  piece  of  waste.  This 
neutralizes  the  remaining  acid  and  prevents 
rusting,  which  oil  will  not  do. 

If  it  is  desired  to  coat  the  piece  with 
beeswax  without  heating  it,  dissolve  pure 
beeswax  in  benzine  until  of  the  consistency 
of  thick  cream  and  pour  on  to  the  steel  and 
spread  it  evenly  by  rocking  or  blowing,  and 
lay  it  aside  to  harden  ;  then  use  the  lead 
pencil,  etc.,  as  before.  This  method  will 
take  longer.  Keep  work  away  from  the  Are 
or  an  open  flame.  A.  S.  Gun. 


Etching'  on  Hardened  Steel 

First  heat  an  iron  or  an  old  pillar  file 
with  a  smooth  side,  and  with  it  spread  a 
thin,  even  coat  of  beeswax  over  the  bright- 
ened surface   to   be  etched.     With  a  sharp 


Etching'  on  Copper 

For  acid  resisting  ground  use  a  mixture 
of  2  ounces  white  wax  to  which  when 
melted  is  added  1  ounce  gum  mastic  in 
powdered  form,  a  little  at  a  time,  until  the 
wax  and  gum  are  well  mixed.  Then,  in 
the  same  way,  add  1  ounce  powdered  bitu- 
men. When  this  is  thoroughly  mixed  add 
to  it  %  of  its  volume  of  essential  oil  of 
lavender.  This  should  be  well  mixed  and 
allowed  to  cool.  The  paste  can  be  applied 
with  a  hand  roller,  and  if  it  Is  too  thick, 
can  be  made  to  flow  easier  by  adding  a 
little  more  oil.  When  the  paste  is  ap- 
plied to  the  copper  plate,  expose  it  to  a 
gentle  heat  in  order  to  expel  the  oil  of 
lavender.  For  a  biting  or  etching  acid  use 
a  mixture  of  5  parts  of  hydrochloric  acid, 
1  part  of  chlorate  of  potash  and  44  parts 
of  water.  The  water  is  heated  and  the 
potash  added.  The  acid  is  added  first  when 
the  potash  is  fully  dissolved.  This  mix- 
ture is  used  by  immersing  the  whole  ob- 
ject to  be  etched,  the  object,  of  course, 
first  being  covered  on  all  sides  by  the  acid 
resisting  ground.  Oliver  E.   Voris. 

Dayton,  O. 


HARDENING  AND  TEMPERING  CARBON  STEEL 


To  Harden  Drills  for  Cutting  Glass 

To    harden    drills    for    cutting    glass,    dis- 
solve   zinc    in    muriatic    acid    to    saturation. 


then  reduce  the  solution  by  adding  an  equal 
volume  of  water.  Dip  and  use  without 
tempering.  E.  W    Norton. 


HARDENING  AND  TEMPERING 


19 


To  Harden  Fine  Dies 

To  successfully  harden  dies  for  fine  work, 
such  as  are  used  by  jewelers  and  others,  be 
careful  to  have  the  surface  free  from  all 
grease  or  oil,  pack  face  downward  In  a 
mixture  of  equal  parts  of  finely  powdered 
hardwood  charcoal  and  charred  bone.  Dip 
In  salt  water  and  draw  temper  to  450  de- 
grees  F.  Hardener. 


To  Prevent  Scale  in  Hardening'  Fine  Dies 

It  is  possible  to  prevent  the  formation 
of  any  scale  In  the  impression  of  fine 
Jewelers'  dies  and  the  like,  and  retain  the 
finished  brilliancy  of  surface,  by  applying 
a  mixture  of  powdered  ivory  black  and 
Bperm  oil,  mixed  to  the  consistency  of 
paste.  It  is  only  necessary  to  apply  a 
thin  coat.  Hardener. 


To    Remove    Burnt    Oil    fvova.    Hardened 
Steel 

To  remove  excess  oil  from  parts  that 
have  been  hardened  in  oil,  place  the  arti- 
cles in  a  small  tank  of  gasoline,  which, 
when  exposed  to  the  air,  will  dry  off  imme- 
diately, allowing  the  part  to  be  polished 
and  tempered  without  the  confusing  and 
unsightly  marks  of  burnt  oil. 

New  York.  H.  J.  Bachmann. 


Mixture    for    Hardening    Spiral    Springs 

The  following  oil  bath  mixture  gives  ex- 
cellent results  for  hardening  spiral  springs: 
Two  gallons  best  whale  oil,  2  pounds  Rus- 
sian tallow,  and  %  pound  rosin.  Boll  the 
tallow  and  the  rosin  together  until  dis- 
solved ;  add  the  whale  oil  and  stir  up  well, 
and   then  It  is  ready  for  use. 

Birmingham,  Eng.  W.  R.  Bowers. 


process  is  undesirable,  It  may  be  removed 
by  the  following  simple  method.  After  the 
part  Is  hardened,  dip  It  into  a  glass  filled 
with  muriatic  acid  and  allow  It  to  remain 
for  five  seconds ;  then  plunge  It  Into  a  pall 
of  water.  In  this  way  the  polish  of  the 
steel  will  return  and  then  temper  will  not 
be  affected.  This  method  Is  much  quicker 
than  obtaining  a  polish  by  the  use  of  emery 
cloth.  John  C.  Monrad. 

Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


Steel   Hardening    and    Tempering* 
Compound 

I  would  submit  the  following  formula  as 
an  excellent  compound  for  hardening  and 
tempering  steel :  To  10  gallons  of  soft 
water,  add  5  teacups  of  salt,  6  ounces  salt- 
peter, 12  teaspoonfuls  of  powdered  alum, 
and  1  teaspoonful  corrosive  subflmate.  We 
have  tempered  flat  cutters.  Acme  and  U.  S. 
standard  taps,  counterbores,  reamers,  etc., 
to  our  entire  satisfaction,  without  drawing 
the  temper  in  any  of  them. 

Columbus,  O.  H.  S.  Hindman. 


To  Prevent   I^ead   from   Sticking  to   the 
Work 

To  prevent  lead  from  sticking  to  work 
that  has  many  small  corners  or  grooves, 
when  heated  in  a  lead  bath  preparatory  to 
hardening,  mix  lamp  black  with  water  or 
alcohol  to  the  consistency  of  paint  and 
apply  with  a  brush.  Be  sure  that  the  mix- 
ture Is  thoroughly  dried  out  before  the 
piece  is  dipped  Into  the  lead  bath. 

E.  W.  Norton. 


To  Prevent  the  Sticking  of  Hot  Iiead 
To  prevent  molten  lead  from  sticking  to 
the  pot  or  the  tools  heated  in  it,  cover  the 
surface  with  a  mixture  of  powdered  char- 
coal, 1  quart;  salt,  i^  pint;  yellow  pruss- 
late  of  potash,  1  gill ;  and  cyanide  of 
potassium  a  lump  the  size  of  a  walnut. 

Hardener. 


Removing  the  Color  Due  to  the  Hard- 
ening" Process 

If  a  punch,  reamer  or  other  tool  is  to  be 
hardened,  and  the  color  resulting  from  that 


Tempering  Compound  for  Steel 

The  following  receipt  for  a  tempering 
compound  I  have  found  very  useful  when  It 
was  impossible  to  procure  a  good  grade  of 
steel.  This  compound  will  be  found  spe- 
cially good  for  cold  chisels,  center  punches, 
flat  lathe  drills,  etc.,  and  in  fact  almost 
any  tool  not  having  Irregular  forms  or  thin 
cutting  edges.  To  6  quarts  of  good  clear 
rain  water  add  1  ounce  of  corrosive  sub- 
limate and  2  pints  common  salt.  Stir  until 
thoroughly  dissolved.  This  compound  seems 
to  both  harden  and  toughen  steel ;  the  tools 
are  dipped  and  drawn  in  the  usual  manner. 

Louisville,  Ky.  Herrmann  G.  Kroeger. 


20 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To   Temper   Small  Coil   Spring's 

To  temper  small  coil  springs  in  a  furnace 
burning  wood  the  springs  are  exposed  to 
the  heat  of  the  flame  and  are  quenched  in 
a  composition  of  the  following  preparation  : 
To  a  barrel  of  fish-oil,  10  quarts  of  rosin 
and  12  quarts  of  tallow  are  added.  If  the 
springs  tempered  in  this  mixture  break, 
more  tallow  is  added,  but  if  the  break  in- 
dicates brittleness  of  the  steel  rather  than 
excessive  hardness,  a  ball  of  yellow  bees- 
wax about  6  Inches  in  diameter  is  added. 
The  springs  are  drawn  to  a  reddish  purple 
by  being  placed  on  a  frame  having  hori- 
zontally radiating  arms  like  a  star  which 
Is  mounted  on  the  end  of  a  vertical  rod. 
The  springs  are  laid  on  the  star  and  are 
lowered  Into  a  pot  of  melted  lead,  being 
held  there  for  such  time  as  is  required  to 
draw  to  the  desired  color.    A.  L.  Monrad. 

New   Haven,  Conn. 


To  Prevent  the  Accumulation  of  Foreign 

Substances   on   Top   of   a   Hardeningf 

Bath 

Dust  or  small  globules  of  oil,  which 
sometimer  give  trouble  by  collecting  at  the 
top  of  hardening  solutions,  can  be  disposed 
of  by  placing  a  piece  of  ordinary  newspaper 
on  top  of  the  solution  ;  the  dirt  and  oil  ad- 
here to  the  paper  and  are  thus  readily 
removed,  thereby  avoiding  the  labor  of 
skimming  the  bath.  Emil  Tschudi. 

Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


To  Prevent  Hot  Lead  Sticking-  to  Work 

About  three  years  ago  we  had  a  new 
quick-break  switch  to  manufacture  in  large 
quantities.  One  piece  of  the  switch  was 
required  to  be  hard  at  one  end  and  soft 
at  the  other.  We  tried  several  methods  of 
annealing  so  as  to  leave  one  end  hard,  but 
found  that  the  temper  was  drawn  through- 
out, and  all  were  rejected.  We  finally  de- 
cided that  a  hot  lead  bath  was  the  only 
way  that  would  anneal  one  end  and  leave 
the  other  end  hard,  but  we  then  encountered 
the  diflSculty  of  the  hot  lead  sticking  to 
the  work.  A  number  of  receipts  were  tried 
for  preventing  it  without  success,  but 
finally  I  discovered  a  process  that  is  quick 
and  very  cheap.  Mix  common  whiting  or 
cold  water  paint  with  wood  alcohol  and 
paint  the  part  that  Is  to  be  annealed.  The 
hot  lead  will  not  stick,  no  matter  how  long 
the  piece  is  held  in  the  pot.  Of  course.  In 
the  work  mentioned,  the  pieces  were  low- 
ered quickly  Into  the  hot  lead  and  removed 
as  soon  as  possible,  In  order  to  prevent 
drawing  the  temper  of  the  hard  end,  and 
then   the  whole  was  plunged  Into  a  pail  of 


cold  water.  Water  will  do  as  well  as  alco- 
hol to  mix  the  paint,  but  alcohol  Is  the  most 
convenient  inasmuch  as  it  can  be  used 
without  waiting  for  the  paint  to  dry.  If 
water  is  used,  the  paint  must  be  thoroughly 
dry,  as  otherwise  the  moisture  will  cause 
the  lead  to  fly.  E.  J.   Lawless. 

Pittsfleld,  Mass. 


To  Heat  the  Tips  of  Small  Tools 

Sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  heat,  for 
the  purpose  of  hardening  or  annealing,  the 
tips  of  small  tools,  such  as  countersinks, 
etc.  To  do  this  without  heating  other  por- 
tions of  the  tool  is  at  times  difficult  to 
accomplish.  If  the  tool  is  inserted  into  a 
raw  potato,  exposing  only  the  part  to  be 
heated,  the  operation  is  easily  performed. 

South  Portland,  Me.         J.  V.  N.  Cheney. 


Hardening'  Bath 

To  make  an  excellent  hardening  solution, 
mix  pure  rain  water  and  salt  strong  enough 
to  float  a  raw  potato,  and  to  twenty  gallons 
of  the  brine  add  three  pints  of  oil  of  vitriol. 
Tool  steel  may  be  hardened  at  a  surpris- 
ingly low  heat  in  this  solution,  a  very  great 
advantage,  of  course,  when  hardening  dif- 
ficult shapes.  The  solution,  however,  has 
one  slight  disadvantage  in  that  it  causes 
the  steel  to  rust  quickly  unless  the  steel  la 
thoroughly  scrubbed  in  strong  hot  soda 
water  immediately  after  hardening.  Tools 
hardened  in  this  solution  should  come  out 
of  the  bath  a  beautiful  silver  gray  color, 
and  If  there  are  any  black'  spots  they  are 
likely  to  be  soft.  I.  W.  Axtano. 


Hardening    Compound 

In  hardening  small  tools,  some  of  the 
more  delicate  and  essential  parts  of  the 
tool  to  be  tempered  are  very  apt  to  be 
overheated  and  burned  unless  extraordinary 
care  is  exercised.  The  following  is  descrip- 
tive of  a  compound  that  can  be  used  to 
prevent  over-heating  of  such  small  delicate 
instruments  during  the  process  of  temper- 
ing. Dissolve  2  ounces  of  pure  castile  soap 
In  enough  warm  water  to  make  a  thin 
paste,  and  add  to  it  the  contents  of  a 
five-cent  package  of  lamp  black,  mixing  It 
well  into  a  stiff  paste.  This  must  be  kept 
securely  sealed  in  a  can.  To  use  the  com- 
pound, slightly  warm  the  small  tool  or 
object  that  Is  to  be  hardened,  and  smear 
the  paste  all  over  it.  When  dry,  heat  and 
quench  in  the  usual  way.  As  the  paste  Is 
removed  by  the  bath,  the  work  will  be 
clean  enough  to  observe  the  color  In  tem- 
pering. T.    E.   O'DOXNELL. 

Urbana,    III. 


HEAT  TREATMENT  OF  HIGH-SPEED  STEEL 


21 


Hardening-    Formula    for    Cutting    Tools 

To  make  a  hardening  solution  for  metal 
cutting  tools  mix  saltpeter,  2  ounces ;  sal- 
amoniac,  2  ounces;  alum,  2  ounces;  salt, 
IVi  pound;  and  soft  water,  3  gallons. 
Keep  the  solution  in  a  stone  jar,  for  it  will 
eat  a  wooden  tub  and  rust  an  iron  pot.  Do 
not  draw  the  temper  but  only  warm  the 
tools  enough  to  relieve  the  hardening 
strains.  It  is  also  well  to  rinse  the  tools 
well  in  water,  for  if  this  is  not  done,  the 
solution    will    rust    them.  Toolmaker. 


Preparation  for  Producing-  Extreme 
Hardness  in  Steel 
The  steel  to  be  hardened  should  be  im- 
mersed in  a  mixture  of  4  parts  of  water, 
2  parts  of  salt,  and  1  part  of  flour.  To 
get  the  steel  thoroughly  coated  it  should 
be  slightly  heated  before  dipping  in  the 
composition.  After  dipping,  it  is  heated  to 
a  cherry  red  and  plunged  in  soft  water. 
This  will  make  the  steel  harder  than  if 
simply  heated  and  dipped  in  water.  S.  C. 


To  Harden  Steel  Without  Scaling- 
Articles  made  of  tool  steel  and  polished 
may  be  hardened  without  raising  a  scale, 
thereby  destroying  the  polish,  by  the  fol- 
lowing method  :  Prepare  equal  parts  in 
bulk  of  common  salt  and  fine  cornmeal, 
well  mixed.  Dip  the  article  to  be  hardened 
first  into  water,  then  into  the  mixture  and 
place  it  carefully  into  the  fire.  When  hot 
enough  to  melt  the  mixture,  take  from  the 
fire  and  dip  or  roll  in  the  salt  and  meal, 
replace  in  the  fire  and  bring  to  the  required 
heat  for  hardening.  Watch  the  piece  closely 
and  if  any  part  of  it  shows  signs  of  getting 
"dry"  sprinkle  some  of  the  mixture  on  it. 
The  mixture,  when  exposed  to  heat,  forms 
a  flux  over  the  surface  of  the  steel  which 
excludes  the  air  and  prevents  oxidation, 
and  when  cooled  in  water  or  oil  comes  off 
easily,  leaving  the  surface  as  smooth  as 
before  heating.  Borax  would  possibly  give 
the  same  result,  but  is  sometimes  difiicult 
to   remove  when   cold.  E.   C.   Noble. 

Rock   Falls,    111. 


A  Tempering-  Solution 

A  tempering  solution  used  for  high  beats 
may  be  composed  of  two  parts  Chill  salt- 
peter and  one  part  nitrate  of  soda.  This 
tempering  solution  is  used  only  at  high 
temperatures,  as  it  becomes  solid  at  about 
500  degrees  F.  It  Is  used  in  place  of  tem- 
pering oils,  as  they  often  thicken  after 
short  use,  and  will  flash  or  ignite  at  about 
GOO  degrees  F.,  and  often  at  a  lower  tem- 
perature. It  should  be  used  in  connection 
with  a  tempering  furnace,  the  heat  being 
gaged  by  a  thermometer.  The  thermometer 
should  be  removed  when  the  day's  work  is 
over.  At  night,  two  iron  plugs,  with  a 
fairly  liberal  taper  per  foot,  and  long 
enough  to  reach  from  the  inside  bottom  of 
the  tank  containing  the  bath,  to  about  four 
inches  above  the  top  of  the  solution,  should 
be  placed  vertically  with  the  small  end  of 
the  taper  down,  and  some  little  distance 
apart.  These  should  be  permitted  to  stay 
in  the  solution  when  it  solidifies.  On  the 
following  morning,  these  iron  plugs  should 
be  unscrewed  and  removed.  The  holes  left 
in  the  solidified  solution  by  these  plugs 
afford  an  escape  for  gases  that  form  in 
reheating  the  bath.  E.  S.  Wheelek. 


Alloys  for  Drawing  Colors  on  Steel 

Alloys  of  various  compo.sition  are  success- 
fully used  for  drawing  colors  on  steel.  To 
draw  to  a  straw  color  use  2  parts  of  lead 
and  1  part  of  tin,  and  melt  in  an  iron 
ladle.  Hold  the  steel  piece  to  be  drawn  in 
the  alloy  as  it  melts  and  it  will  turn  to 
straw  color.  This  mixture  melts  at  a  tem- 
perature of  about  437  degrees  F.  For 
darker  yellow,  use  9  parts  of  lead  to  4 
parts  of  tin,  which  melts  at  458  degrees  F. 
For  purple,  use  3  parts  of  lead  to  1  part 
of  tin,  the  melting  temperature  being  482 
degrees  P.  For  violet,  use  9  parts  of  lead 
to  2  parts  of  tin,  which  melts  at  594  de- 
grees F.  Lead  without  any  alloy  will  draw 
steel   to  a  dark  blue. 

Cleveland,  Ohio.  Max  Dehne. 


HEAT  TREATMENT  OF  HIGH-SPEED  STEEL 


To  Anneal  High-speed  and  Air-harden- 
ing Steels 
To  anneal  "Novo"  or  "Blue  Chip"  high- 
speed steel  or  any  of  the  air-hardening 
steels,  pack  the  steel  in  a  piece  of  gas  pipe 
with  powdered  charcoal,  and  seal  the  ends 
with   clay   or  caps   screwed   on.      Heat   to   a 


cherry  red,  giving  time  for  the  contents  of 
the  pipe  to  reach  this  temperature,  and 
then  set  in  a  dry,  sheltered  place  to  cool. 
The  steel  will  be  found  annealed  so  that 
it  can  be  readily  drilled,  turned,  planed  or 
worked  as  required. 

A.  A.  Stevenson. 


22 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Bath  for  Hardening'  Higrh-speed   Steel 

An  excellent  bath  for  hardening  high- 
speed steel  consists  of  a  mixture  of  table 
salt  and  paraffine  oil,  in  the  proportion  of 
one  pound  of  table  salt  to  each  gallon  of 
pure  oil.  The  steel  is  heated  to  a  lemon 
color,  and  plunged  into  the  bath,  being  kept 
in  motion  until  it  has  thoroughly  cooled. 
The  steel  should  come  out  of  this  bath  gray 
in  color,  and  nearly  free  from  black  spots. 
The  bath  referred  to  can  be  used  for  almost 
all  brands  of  high-speed  steel,  with  good 
results.  It  has  been  used  to  great  advan- 
tage for  the  Midvale  steel,  and  also  on  a 
large  number  of  tools  made  of  Novo,  Sime- 
teora,  Rex,  Jessop  high-speed,  and  Blue 
Chip  steel.  On  all  these,  good  results  have 
been  obtained,  but  it  may  be  added  that 
this  bath  seems  to  give  the  best  results 
with  the  Midvale  steel.  H.  S.  Steel. 


Paste    for    Hardening'    Hig'h-speed    Steel 

The   hardening  paste   made    according   to 
the  following  receipt  has  been  used  on  high- 


speed steel  with  success,  enabling  it  to  be 
hardened  by  heating  in  an  ordinary  gas 
oven,  and  thus  making  unnecessary  the  very 
high  heat  usually  called  for  in  hardening 
such  steels.  Mix  2  pounds  rye  meal ;  1 
pound  common  salt ;  14  pound  pulverized 
borax ;  %  pound  pulverized  charcoal ;  1-3 
pint  (or  %  pound)  liquid  cyanide  of  potas- 
sium ;  %  gill  or  2  ounces  of  water  glass 
(silicate  of  soda)  ;  and  3  pints  of  water. 
The  liquid  cyanide  is  made  by  dissolving 
3  ounces  of  pulverized  potassium  cyanide  in 
one  pint  of  boiling  water.  Mix  thoroughly 
to  form  a  paste. 

When  using  this  paste  I  have  found  It 
best  to  apply  it  in  the  following  manner : 
Provide  a  small  cast-iron  vessel  or  a  cruci- 
ble of  the  shape  of  a  drip-pan,  and  spread 
a  thin  layer  of  the  paste  on  the  bottom ; 
put  the  work  in  the  pan  and  cover  that 
with  paste  also.  Place  work  and  pan  in 
the  gas  oven  and  heat  until  it  reaches  a 
nice  full  red.  Dip  in  sperm,  flsh  or  kero- 
sene oil.  Jos.  M.  Stabel. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 


CASE-HARDENING 


Case-hardening  Process  for  Cold  Rolled 
Steel 

To  successfully  case-harden  common  cold 
rolled  steel  so  that  it  will  answer  for  the 
cutters  of  inserted  reamers,  etc.,  pack  the 
cutters  in  granulated  raw  bone  in  a  cast 
Iron  box  with  at  least  one-half  inch  layer 
of  bone  between  the  cutters  and  the  sides 
of  the  box.  Put  on  an  iron  cover  and  lute 
with  fire-clay ;  heat  in  a  gas  furnace  to  al- 
most a  white  heat  for  from  two  to  five 
hours  according  to  the  size  of  the  box. 
Then  draw  the  box,  open  and  dump  quickly 
into  a  bath  composed  of  the  following :  1 
quart  of  vitriol  (sulphuric  acid),  4  pecks 
common  salt,  2  pounds  saltpeter,  8  pounds 
alum,  1  pound  prussiate  potash,  1  pound 
cyanide  potash   and  40  gallons  soft  water. 

S.  Pittsburg,   Pa.  P.  Wackeemanx. 


Formula  for  Case-hardening  Preparation 

Yellow  prussiate  of  potash,  by  weight,  7 
'parts ;  bichromate  of  potash,  1  part ;  com- 
mon salt,  8  parts ;  pulverize  the  crystals 
and  mix  thoroughly.  Heat  the  piece  to  be 
hardened  to  a  dark  red  and  dip  into  the 
preparation  or  sprinkle  it  on  the  piece. 
Return  to  the  Are  and  let  it  soak,  then 
repeat  several  times  according  to  the  depth 
of  hardened  surface  wanted.  Finally 
plunge  into  water  or  oil.  This  may  be 
used  on  tool  steel,  soft  steel  or  iron. 

Meriden,  Conn.  James  P.  Hayes. 


Mottled  Case-hardened  Articles 
There  are  several  ways  of  obtaining  the 
beautiful  mottled  effect  on  case-hardened 
articles,  but  one  of  the  simplest  and  most 
effective  methods  is  in  use  in  the  factory  of 
the  Thos.  B.  Jeffery  Co.,  Kenosha,  Wis. 
Here  the  usual  cooling  tank  and  screen  for 
catching  the  work  are  in  use,  but  in  addi- 
tion, an  air  pipe  is  run  into  the  bottom  of 
the  tank  in  such  a  way  that  when  the  air 
is  turned  on  the  water  is  filled  with  air 
bubbles  and  is  violently  agitated.  The  re- 
sult of  these  air  bubbles  striking  the  cyanide- 
coated  articles  during  the  cooling  process, 
is  some  of  the  prettiest  mottled  work  Im- 
aginable. E.    v. 


To  Mottle  Case-hardened  Pieces 

A  simple  and  effective  way  to  get  a  mot- 
tled effect  In  case-hardening  with  cyanide  of 
potassium  is  as  follows :  Set  an  open  pail 
or  jar  under  a  running  hydrant,  get  the 
pieces  good  and  hot  (bright  red)  in  a  ladle 
of  molten  cyanide,  then  take  out  singly 
with  tweezers  and  simply  throw  them  Into 
the  water.  The  air  bubbles  rising  through 
the  water  give  the  desired  mottled  effect. 
A  still  better  process,  if  an  air  blast  is  at 
hand,  is  to  connect  a  rubber  hose  in  some 
manner  to  the  bottom  of  the  pail,  so  that  a 
stream  of  air  enters  the  water.  This  plan 
serves  well  where  no  special  appliance  is 
available  for  this  class  of  work. 

Chicago,  111.  Harey  Ash. 


ANNEALING 


23 


Good  Case  hardeuingf  Mixtures 

One  part  sal-ammoniac  and  3  parts 
prussiate  of  potash ;  or,  1  part  prussiate 
of  potash,  2  parts  bone  dust  and  2  parts 
sal-ammoniac.  E.  H.  arcCuNTOCE. 

West  Somervllle,  Mass. 


To    Case-harden    a   Piece    Ziocally 

To  case-harden  part  of  a  piece  to  a  line 
or  in  a  spot  cover  the  part  or  surface  to 
be  hardened  with  a  moderately  heavy  coat 
of  black  japan  enamel.  I  prefer  this  as  it 
bakes  on  more  closely  than  anything  else. 
Clean  the  work  thoroughly,  then  put  on  a 
heavy  coat  of  copper  and  the  work  is  now 
ready  to  be  carbonized,  and  is  packed  in  a 
pot  in  bone  or  leather  in  the  usual  manner. 
Heat  long  enough  to  give  the  required  depth 
of  "case."  Then  take  out  of  the  fire  and 
cool  down  in  the  pot.  When  cold  reheat 
and  dip  in  oil  or  water.  The  copper  blocks 
the  absorption  of  carbon  while  the  japan 
bums  off  and  allows  the  carbon  in  the 
bone  or  leather  to  be  absorbed  by  the  iron. 

E.  W.  Norton. 


To    Case-harden    for    Colors 

Mix  10  parts  charred  bon*^,  0  parts  wood 
charcoal,  4  parts  charred  leather  and  1 
part  of  powdered  cyanide  potassium.  Clean 
the    work    thoroughly,    and    do    not    handle 


with  greasy  hands.  Pack  the  work  with 
the  mixture  in  a  common  gas  pipe  plugged 
at  one  end,  and  seal  at  the  other  with 
asbestos  cement.  Heat  In  a  furnace  to  a 
dark  cherry  red  and  keep  at  that  heat  for 
about  4  or  5  hours.  Dump  in  a  tank  with 
compressed  air  bubbling  up  through  the 
bottom.  If  the  colors  are  too  gaudy  leave 
out  the  cyanide.  J.  F.    Sallows. 

Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 

Partial    Case-hardenings 

The  entire  surface  of  the  work,  or  that 
part  which  is  to  be  hardened,  should  be 
coated  with  a  moderately  heavy  coat  of 
japan  enamel,  and  then  a  medium  heavy 
coat  of  copper  should  be  applied  to  the  re- 
maining portion  of  the  work.  In  applying 
the  copper,  care  should  be  taken  not  to 
disturb  the  japan.  After  the  copper  is 
applied,  the  piece  is  ready  to  be  carbonized. 
It  should  be  packed,  and  heated  to  a  bright 
red,  and  held  at  this  heat  long  enough  for 
the  requirements  of  the  work.  Then  the 
box  or  case,  containing  the  pieces  to  be 
case-hardened,  are  taken  out  of  the  fire  and 
the  work  is  permitted  to  cool  in  the  box. 
When  cool,  the  work  is  taken  out  and  re- 
heated in  the  open  fire,  and  dipped  in  oil 
or  water.  The  copper  prevents  the  absorp- 
tion of  the  carbon,  while  the  japan  enamel 
bums  off  and  allows  the  carbon  to  take 
effect.  E.  S.  Wheeleb. 


ANNEALING  STEEL  AND  OTHER  METALS 


Annealing'  Steel 

Cover  the  steel  with  fire  clay,  and  heat 
to  a  red  heat.  Then  allow  the  steel  to 
cool  over  night  in  a  furnace  or  forge.  This 
method  will  prove  satisfactory  when  other 
means  fail.  Samuel  H.  Owens. 

Rockford,  111. 


To   Anneal   Steel   or   Iron 

Smear  the  iron  or  steel  with  tallow,  and 
heat  slowly  in  a  charcoal  fire  until  it  is  a 
dark  red.  Allow  it  to  cool  itself.  This 
method  is  all  right  for  very  hard  tool 
steel.  R.  B.  Casey. 

Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


Annealing  Steel 

Heat  slowly  or  rather  evenly  to  a  dull 
red  heat.  Put  it  in  a  dark  place  or  comer, 
box  or  barrel,  until  all  signs  of  red  have 
just  disappeared,  then  quench  in  water, 
taking  care  to  hold  it  still.  When  anneal- 
ing flat  stock,  heat  evenly  and  thoroughly, 
place    between    two    planed    pine    boards    on 


an  ash  heap  and  cover  with  ashes.  By 
this  method  the  charcoal  is  produced,  so  to 
say,  automatically.  Wm.  B.  Beooks. 

New  Kensington,  Pa. 


To    Anneal    Finished    Copper 

To  make  a  mixture  for  protecting  finished 
copper  pieces  which  require  annealing  mix 
to  a  thick  consistency  white  cold  water 
paint  and  alcohol  and  apply  to  the  copper 
with  a  brush.  Allow  the  mixture  to  dry 
and  then  heat  to  a  low  red  by  dipping  into 
pure  melted  lead  at  the  required  tempera- 
ture. Cool  in  air  or  water,  preferably  the 
latter.  L.  C.  Caer. 

Lynn,    Mass. 


Annealing  Steel  Having  Hard  and  Soft 
Spots 

To  anneal  steel  having  hard  and  soft 
spots,  remove  the  scale,  and  heat  slowly  and 
evenly  to  a  little  above  a  dark  red.  Im- 
merse In  fresh  water  until  almost  cool. 
Heat  immediately  to  a  dark  rod  and  anneal 
in  the  usual  way.  C.  P.  Emerson. 


24 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To  Anneal  Zinc 

In  working  zinc  tlie  greatest  loss  is  on 
account  of  the  zinc  cracking  and  being  too 
brittle  to  liandle  to  advantage.  It  is  sur- 
prising to  find  laow  very  tew  mechanics 
understand  the  annealing  or  malleablizing 
of  same.     The   following  will    be   found    un- 


failing :  Heat  in  oil  to  about  500  degrees 
F.  and  plunge  In  hot  soda  water,  which 
works  the  double  operation  of  drawing  the 
zinc  to  the  proper  degree  and  at  the  same 
time  cleanses  the  surface  from  the  oil. 

Hardener. 


METHODS  FOR  HEAT  TREATMENT  OP  CAST  IRON 


Chilling  Cast  Iron 

Mix  together  i/4  pint  of  oil  of  vitriol,  2 
ounces  of  saltpeter,  and  3  gallons  of  clean 
water.  Heat  the  casting,  and  plunge  it  in 
this  solution,   keeping  it  there  until  cold. 

Dayton,   O.  George    E.    Hetzlek. 

To    Soften   Hard    Cast   Iron   for   Drilling 

Heat  to  a  cherry  red,  allowing  it  to  lie 
level  in  the  Are.  Then  with  a  pair  of  cold 
tongs  put  on  a  piece  of  sulphur  a  little  less 
than  the  size  hole  to  be  drilled.  This  will 
soften  the  iron  entirely  through,  providing 
it  is  not  too  thick.  O.  E.  VoRis. 

Dayton,   O. 


Case-hardening  Cast  Iron 
To  successfully  case-harden  cast  iron,  the 
pieces  to  be  hardened  should  be  heated  to  a 
red  heat,  then  rolled  in  a  composition  of 
equal  parts  of  prusslate  of  potash,  sal- 
ammoniac  and  saltpeter.  All  pulverized 
and  thoroughly  mixed.  Every  part  of  the 
casting  must  be  covered  by  the  composition 
before  plunging  (red-hot)  into  a  bath  of  2 
ounces  prusslate  of  potash  and  4  ounces 
sal-ammoniac  to  each  gallon  of  cold 
water.  A. 


To  Case-harden  Cast  Iron 

To  case-harden  cast  iron  use  a  pot  of 
suitable  size  for  the  piece,  packing  it  in 
with  2/3  raw  bone  and  1/3  charcoal  ground 
to  about  the  same  size  as  the  bone.  Seal 
the  pot  cover  with  fire-clay  and  place  In  a 
furnace  and  run  it  about  5  hours.  Then 
take  out  the  work  and  dip   in  oil  or  water. 

E.  W.  Norton. 


To  Case-harden  Cast  Iron 

I  have  successfully  case-hardened  cast 
Iron,  using  the  following  receipt :  Pulverize 
and  mix  together  equal  weights  of  salt- 
peter, prusslate  of  potash  and  sal-am- 
moniac. Make  a  dipping  solution  by  add- 
ing to  each  quart  of  cold  water  1  ounce 
prusslate  of  potash  and  y^  ounce  sal-am- 
moniac Heat  the  cast  iron  pieces  till  red- 
hot,  roll  them  in  the  powder,  and  then 
plunge  them   into   the   liquid. 

Los  Angeles.  Cal.  J.  M.  Menegus. 


To  Toughen  and  Surface  Harden  Cast 
Iron 

To  toughen  and  surface  harden  small 
cast  iron  machine  parts,  which  are  sub- 
jected to  wear,  such  as  small  gears,  cams, 
etc.,  heat  to  a  dull  red  and  quench  in  a 
saturated  solution  of  cyanide  of  potash  and 
water  which  should  be  kept  as  near  boiling 
point  as  possible.  This  can  be  accom- 
plished best  by  putting  the  solution  in  an 
iron  pot  near  the  fire  in  which  the  parts 
are  being  heated.  J.  H.  V. 


To    Harden    Cast    Iron 

To  harden  cast  iron  take  1/2  pint  vitriol 
(sulphuric  acid),  1  peck  common  salt,  V3 
pound  saltpeter,  2  pounds  alum,  14  pound 
prussiate  potasli,  and  V^  pound  cyanide 
potash,  dissolve  iu  10  gallons  of  water. 
Heat  iron  to  a  clicrry  red,  dip,  repeating 
until  hard  enough.  W.  T.  Sears. 

Harrisburg,   Pa. 


Hardening    Cast    Iron 

The  following  process  can  be  used  for 
hardening  cast  iron  whether  rough  or  after 
machining.  The  casting  is  first  heated  to 
a  cherry-red  heat ;  it  is  then  dipped  in  a 
bath  which  consists  of  a  practically  anhy- 
drous acid  of  high  heat-conducting  power, 
preferably  sulphuric  acid  of  a  specific  grav- 
ity of  from  1.8  to  1.0,  to  which  is  added 
a  suitable  quantity  of  one  or  more  of  the 
heavy  metals  or  their  compounds — such,  for 
example,  as  arsenic  or  the  like.  The  pre- 
ferable ingredients  of  the  bath  are  sulphuric 
acid  of  a  specific  gravity  of  approximately 
1.84  and  red  arsenic  in  the  proportions  of 
%  pound  of  red  arsenic  crystals  to  1  gal- 
lon of  sulphuric  acid.  The  castings  may  be 
cither  suddenly  dipped  in  the  aforemen- 
tioned mixture,  and  then  taken  out  and 
cooled  in  water,  or  they  may  be  left  in 
the  bath  until  cool.  In  preparing  the  bath, 
when  sulphuric  acid  and  red  arsenic  are 
used,  better  results  are  obtained  when  the 
crystals  are  added  to  the  sulphuric  acid 
and  the  bath  is  allowed  to  stand  for  about 
a  week  before  using.  O.  G. 


POLISHING  BRASS,  NICKEL  AND  STEEL 


25 


To  Anneal  Iron  Casting's 

Iron  castings  that  are  too  hard  to  ma- 
chine or  whiich  have  hard  spots  destructive 
to  tools  may  be  nicely  annealed  by  packing 
closely  in  covered  cast  iron  boxes  with  black 
manganese,  and  heating  to  a  temperature 
of  1,500  or  1,600  degrees  F.,  until  thoroughly 
heated  through.  A  large  bos  packed  in  this 
manner  with  a  closely-fltted  cover  luted 
with  fii"e-clay  must  be  heated  for  several 
hours  to  raise  the  interior  to  the  annealing 
temperature.  To  be  sure  of  getting  the  in- 
terior heated  properly,  a  number  of  witness 


wires  should  be  placed  in  the  box,  project- 
ing through  the  cover  where  they  can  be 
conveniently  grasped  with  tongs  and  pulled 
out  one  at  a  time  to  show  how  far  the  heat 
has  progressed.  When  the  Interior  has 
reached  a  bright  rod  heat  the  box  should  be 
hauled  out  and  covered  with  ashes  so  that 
It  will  cool  slowly.  It  is  claimed  that  hard 
spots  in  gray  iron  castings  can  be  softened 
with  black  manganese  by  applying  the  man- 
ganese and  heating  to  a  dull  red,  using  a 
blow-torch  or  any  other  convenient  means 
of  heating.  M.  E.  Canek. 


POLISHING  BRASS,   NICKEL  AND   STEEL 


Compound  for  Cleaning'  Brass 

To  make  a  brass  cleaning  compound  use 
oxalic  acid,  1  ounce ;  rotten  stone,  6 
ounces ;  enough  whale  oil  and  spirits  of 
turpentine  of  equal  parts  to  mir  and  make 
a  paste.  G.  E.   Hetzler. 

Dayton,  Ohio. 


To  Remove  Bluing-  from  Tempered  Steel 

Plunge  the  blue  hot  article  into  a  bath 
of  sulphuric  acid  1  part,  water  16  parts ; 
then  into  a  bath  of  lime  and  water  (to 
neutralize  the  acid)  and  rub  it  off  quickly 
with  a  dry  cloth  and  Vienna  lime.  The 
result  will  be  a  most  beautiful  polish. 

Angelica,  N.  Y.  F.  H.  Jackson. 


Polish  for  Brass 

An  excellent  liquid  polish  for  articles  of 
brass  may  be  made  as  follows :  Add  to- 
gether and  mix  thoroughly,  100  parts  of 
powdered  pumice  stone,  2  parts  oil  of  tur- 
pentine, 12  parts  soft  soap  and  12  parts  of 
fat,  oil  or  lard.  When  thoroughly  mixed, 
add  the  mixture  to  a  solution  of  3  parts 
oxalic  acid  dissolved  in  40  parts  of  hot 
water.  Stir  well  until  a  uniform  paste  is 
formed.  Apply  to  surface  of  any  article 
of  brass,  by  means  of  a  cloth,  rubbing  it 
in  well.  Remove  remnant  and  polish  with 
a  clean,  dry  cloth.         T.  E.  O'Donnell. 

Urbana,  111. 


Compound  for  Folishing'  Brass 

To  2  quarts  of  rainwater  add  3  ounces 
of  powdered  rotten  stone,  2  oimces  of 
pumice  stone  and  4  ounces  oxalic  acid. 
Mix  thoroughly  together  and  let  it  stand  a 
day  or  two  before  using.  Shake  it  before 
using  and  after  application  polish  the  brass 
with  a  dry  woolen  cloth  or  chamois  skin. 
Donald  A.   Hampson. 

Middletown,  N.  Y. 


Unchanging-    Gloss    on    Cast    Iron 

The  articles  ar  well  scrubbed  with  a 
diluted  acid,  dried  and  smoothed  with  a 
file,  wire  brush  or  the  like.  Then  they  are 
rubbed  repeatedly  with  ordinary  crude 
petroleum  and  let  dry  each  time ;  finally 
they  are  well  rubbed  with  a  hair  brush, 
which  gives  them  a  dark  glossy  appearance 
which  will  stand  heat  and  serve  as  pro- 
tection against  rusting.  Articles  once 
treated  in  this  manner  need  later  on  be 
only  rubbed  with  petroleum  and  brushed  up 
again.  D. 


Metal    Polish 

A  good  metal  polish  for  gold,  silver, 
brass,  nickel,  etc.,  can  be  made  by  taking 
powdered  crocus  and  mixing  enough  kero- 
sene oil  with  it  to  make  a  paste.  This 
paste  must  be  rubbed  very  thoroughly  over 
the  article  to  be  polished.  Then  take  a 
flannel  cloth  and  rub  lightly  and  rapidly 
until  a  brilliant  polish  is  obtained. 

Cleveland,  O.  Herbert  C.  Snow. 


A   Nickel   Buff 

For  buflBng  nickel  work,  there  is  nothing 
that  will  give  a  luster  equal  to  Vienna  lime 
composition.  It  can  be  made  by  the  user, 
but  it  is  more  satisfactory  to  buy  it  of  the 
manufacturer,  as  when  homemade  it  air- 
slacks  very  rapidly ;  it  is  put  up  by  the 
makers  in  air-tight  cans  of  about  one 
pound  each,  and  this  shape  will  keep  until 
used  up.  It  is  also  a  good  buffing  composi- 
tion on  brass  or  other  metals  whei-e  there 
is  not  much  cutting  down  to  do,  as  it  will 
cut  down  and  color  in  one  operation.  If 
there  is  much  cutting  down,  go  over  the 
work  first  with  tripoli,  then  color  with 
rouge  or  lime.  All  these  compositions  are 
put  up  in  different  grades  for  fast  cutting, 
and   also  for  dry  or  greasy  work. 

Bridgeport,  Conn.  J.  L.  Lucas. 


26 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Cleaning    the    Polished    Farts    of 
Machinery 

Stains  of  every  description,  such  as  may 
result  from  dried  oil,  etc.,  may  be  easily 
and  effectively  removed  by  the  application 
of  alcohol.  Calvin  B.  Ross. 

Sringfield,  O. 


Metal    Polish 

Get  two  or  three  oyster  or  clam  shells 
and  bum  them  on  clear  coal  fire  for  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes ;  then  powder  them  in  a 
mortar.  This  malies  a  superior  metal 
polish.  It  Is  the  best  thing  I  have  ever 
used  for  polishing  silver  and  gold  articles, 
and  if  finely  pulverized  can  be  used  on  the 
most  delicate  article  without  injury. 

Joliet,  til.  Rex  McKee. 


Polish  for  Brass — Polish  for  Steel 

A  good  polish  for  brass  is  made  by  put- 
ting 2  ounces  of  sulphate  of  nickel  and  2 
ounces  of  nitric  acid  in  an  open  vessel  and 
allowing  them  to  mix  thoroughly.  Then 
add  water. 

To  make  a  polish  for  steel  dissolve  2 
ounces  each  of  oxalic  acid,  pumice  stone, 
ammonia,  and  whiting  in  a  quart  of  water. 

New  York.  Herman  Jonson. 


Iiiquid    Metal    Polish 

A  good  liquid  metal  polish  for  cold 
smooth  surfaces,  either  iron  or  brass,  may 
be  made  from  the  following  ingredients : 
To  3  parts  of  benzine  add  2  oumces  of 
oxalic  acid  and  1%  pound  of  silicate  acid 
powder.  This  polish  may  be  made  in  large 
quantities    and    set    aside    for    further    use 


provided  it  is  kept  in  tightly  closed  bot- 
tles, and  shaken  well  before  using.  Apply 
the  solution  with  a  piece  of  cloth.  When 
dry,  polish  with  a  soft,  clean  cloth. 

Urbana,  111.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 


To  Polish  Nickel  Plate 

Apply  rouge  with  a  little  fresh  lard  or 
lard  oil  with  a  piece  of  buckskin.  Rub  the 
bright  parts,  using  as  little  of  the  rouge 
and  oil  as  possible.  Wipe  off  with  a  clean 
cloth  slightly  oiled.  Wipe  every  day  and 
polish  as  often  as  necessary.  This  is  also 
an  excellent  preventative  of  rust. 

Donald  A.   Hampson. 

Middletown,   N.   Y. 


Paste  Metal  Polish 

A  paste  metal  polish  that  is  good  for  any 
smooth  surface,  whether  hot  or  cold,  can 
be  obtained  from  the  following  ingredients, 
which  will  make  about  20  pounds  of  the 
polish :  2  ounces  of  spermaceti,  4  ounces 
of  cake  tallow,  10  star  candles,  2%  pints 
of  raw  linseed  oil,  2i^  pints  of  kerosene, 
and  5  pounds  of  tripoli  powder.  Procure  a 
crock  that  will  hold  3  or  4  gallons.  Put 
in  the  tallow,  spermaceti  and  candles,  and 
melt  over  a  slow  fire.  Then  add  the  lin- 
seed oil  and  Kerosene,  and  stir  well.  While 
this  mixture  is  still  warm,  remove  from  the 
fire,  and  add  the  tripoli  powder  very 
slowly  while  constantly  stirring  the  mix- 
ture. When  all  the  powder  has  been  added, 
allow  to  cool.  To  use,  apply  with  a  soft 
cloth,  and  after  drying,  remove  the  rem- 
nant and  rub  the  surface  with  a  piece  of 
soft   flannel.  T.   E.   O'Donnell. 

Urbana,  111. 


PRODUCING  BLUE  OR  BROWN  COLORS  ON  STEEL 


To  Produce  Brown  Pinish  on  Steel 
To  produce  the  rich  brown   finish  that  is 
commonly   used   on  large   guns  use  sulphate 
of   copper,    1    ounce ;    sweet   spirits   nitre,    1 
ounce ;  distilled  water,   1   pint. 

Four  coats  are  applied,  allow  several 
hours  to  elapse  between  the  successive 
coats,  brushing  after  each  If  necessary. 
After  the  last  coat  rub  down  hard  and 
allow  to  dry  24  hours.  This  gives  a  red- 
dish-brown color  without  gloss.  By  adding 
arsenic  to  the  mixture  before  last  coat  a 
deeper  hue  is  obtained.  The  polish  is  ob- 
tained by  means  of  a  mixture  of  boiled  oil, 
beeswax,  and  turpentine,  comparatively 
thick.  Rub  in  well  with  cotton  cloth  and 
finally  with  the  palm  of  the  hand. 

R.  P.  Perry. 


To  Blue  Steel  Without  Heatings 

To  blue  steel  without  heating  it.  connect 
a  small  steam  pipe  to  a  wooden  box  so  that 
steam  may  flow  continuously  into  It.  Put  a 
bath  of  the  following  ingredients  in  the 
box:  Iron  chloride  (muriatic  tincture  of 
steel),  1  ounce;  alcohol  (spirits  of  wine), 
1  ounce;  corrosive  sublimate  (mercury  bi- 
chloride), %  ounce;  aquafortis  (strong 
nitric  acid),  14  ounce;  blue  stone  (copper 
sulphate),  %  ounce;  and  water,  1  quart. 
The  vapor  arising  from  this  mixture  forms 
a  deposit  on  the  articles.  After  having  been 
exposed  to  the  vapors  for  a  number  of 
hours,  they  are  rubbed  off  with  cloth,  and 
the  operation  repeated  If  a  darker  hue  is 
required.  W.   .1.   Kaop. 


BLACK  COLORS  ON  IRON  AND  STEEL 


27 


Bluing-    Iron    or    Steel 

Mix  one  part  clean  sand  with  one  part 
powdered  charcoal,  heat  the  whole  evenly 
in  a  pan  or  convenient  receptacle  until  the 
piece,  which  has  first  received  its  finishing 
polish  and  been  covered  by  the  mixture, 
comes  to  the  desired  color.  When  cool, 
wipe  dry  with  cloth.  Neralcm. 


Stir  until  all  the  lumps  are  dissolved,  and 
then  add  the  blue  solution.  Before  apply- 
ing, the  surface  to  be  blued  should  be 
cleaned  and  brightened  with  emery  cloth. 
The  enamel  Ik  best  applied  with  a  soft 
brush.  The  solution  may  be  put  Into  a 
bottle  and  set  aside  for  future  use,  provided 
the  bottle  is  securely  corked. 

Olney,  111.  T.  E.  O'Do.nxell. 


Steel-lilue  Enamel 
A  steel-blue  enamel  suitable  for  applying 
to  steel  and  also  other  metals  to  give  them 
a  steel-blue  polished  surface,  may  be  made 
in  the  following  way  :  Dissolve  1  part  of 
borax  in  4  parts  of  water.  Macerate  5 
parts  bleached  shellac  in  5  parts  of  alcohol. 
In  a  small  quantity  of  alcohol  dissolve 
some  methylene  blue  of  sufficient  amount  to 
give  the  color  desired.  Heat  the  first  or 
watery  solution  to  boiling,  and  while  con- 
stantly   stirring  add   the   alcoholic   solution. 


To  Blue  Gun  Barrels 

To  blue  gun  barrels  and  other  pieces 
dissolve  2  parts  of  crystallized  chloride  of 
iron  ;  2  parts  solid  chloride  of  antimony  ;  1 
part  gallic  acid  in  4  or  5  parts  of  water ; 
apply  with  a  small  sponge,  and  let  dry  in 
the  air.  Repeat  this  two  or  three  times, 
then  wash  with  water,  and  dry.  Rub  with 
boiled  linseed  oil  to  deepen  the  shade.  Re- 
peat this  until  satisfied  with  the  result. 

New  Britain,  Conn.  F.   L.  Engel. 


PRODUCING  BLACK  COLOR  ON  IRON  AND  STEEL 


To  Give  Iron  a  Black  Color 

To  give  iron  a  dead  black  color,  clean 
all  grease  and  dirt  from  the  metal,  and 
apply  the  following  solution  either  with  a 
brush  or  by  dipping.  Mix  together  thor- 
oughly 1  part  bismuth  chloride,  2  parts 
mercuric  bichloride,  1  part  copper  chloride, 
6  parts  hydrochloric  acid,  5  parts  alcohol 
and  52  parts  water.  As  soon  as  these 
parts  are  thoroughly  mixed,  the  compound 
is  ready  for  use.  After  applying  the  com- 
pound, the  iron  is  placed  in  boiling  water 
and  allowed  to  remain  for  one-half  hour,  the 
water  being  kept  at  the  same  temperature. 
Repeat  this  operation  until  the  color  is 
deep  enough,  then  fix  the  color  by  placing 
the  iron  for  a  short  time  in  a  bath  of 
boiling  oil.  After  removing,  heat  in  an 
oven  until   the  surplus  oil  is  all  driven  off. 

Urbana,  111.  T.  E.  O'Do.nnell. 


Black  Oxide  Coat  for  Steel 
A  fine  black  coat  is  produced  on  steel  if 
treated  in  the  followuig  manner :  An 
oxidized  sk^n  is  first  produced  in  some  suit- 
able manner  on  the  surface  of  the  steel ; 
this  is  converted  into  black  oxide  by  means 
of  hot  water  and  continued  until  the  coat 
of  oxide  is  thick  enough.  Then  the  articles 
are  dipped  in  lukewarm  water  to  remove 
any  acid  or  salty  particles,  and  then  some 
olive  oil  is  poured  over  the  whole.         D. 


Black  Finish  for  Steel 

The  pieces  to  be  blackened  should  first 
be  polished  with  No.  120  emery  cloth.  After 
polishing,  the  surfaces  should  be  cleaned 
carefully,  and  then  the  work  placed  over 
the  fire  and  drawn  evenly  to  a  second  blue. 
Then,  the  work  is  dipped  in  lard  or  sperm 
oil,  from  which  it  is  immediately  removed, 
and  all  loose  oil  shaken  off.  This  prevents 
the  forming  of  blisters.  An  old  piece  of 
rubber,  for  instance  a  piece  of  old  garden 
hose,  is  then  placed  on  the  fire,  and  as  it 
bums,  the  work  is  held  over  the  flame  and 
smoke  that  comes  from  the  rubber,  until  it 
is  covered  with  a  thick  coat  of  black  soot. 
The  work  is  then  removed  from  the  fire, 
and  permitted  to  cool  off  slowly.  When 
cool,  it  is  rubbed  with  an  oiled  cloth.  All 
this  must  be  done  in   one  heat. 

Tarrytown,  N.  Y.  E.  W.  Norton. 


To    Blacken    Articles   which   are   not 
Soldered 

Heat  the  article  to  a  low  heat  and  dip 
into  a  solution  of  nitrate  of  copper,  made 
by  dissolving  copper  in  nitric  acid.  Then 
heat  the  piece  dipped  over  a  spirit  lamp  or 
Bunsen  burner  until  from  greenish  color  it 
finally  turns  black.  H.  A.  Sherwood. 

Bridgeport,  Conn. 


28 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To  Make  Black  Marks  on  Graduated 
Surfaces 

The  scale  is  varnished  over  with  a  little 
thin  shellac  varnish,  so  as  to  sink  into  all 
the  cuts.  When  this  is  dry,  a  black  var- 
nish of  lampblack  and  shellac  is  spread  on, 
so  as   to   fill   all   the  cuts.     This  is  allowed 


to  thoroughly  dry.  When  hard,  the  work 
is  driven  in  the  lathe,  and  the  superfluous 
varnish  polished  off  with  fine  flour  emery 
cloth  until  only  that  in  the  cuts  is  left. 
This  gives  a  very  distinct  marking  and  fine 
finish  to  scale.  F.  II.  Jackson. 

Angelica,  N.  Y. 


LACQUERS  AND  ENAMELS  FOR  STEEL 

£uainel  for  Iron  or  Steel 

Make   an    enamel    by    mixing   2   ounces   of 


Iiacquering-  Effect  on  Polished  Steel 

Mutton  suet  burnt  on  a  polished  surface 
produces  a  brilliant  black  which  is  very 
lasting.  H.  T.  Millar. 

Manchester,  Eng. 


Bronzing-  Fluid  for  Steel 

To  obtain  a  light  bronzing  fluid  use 
nitric  acid,  6  parts ;  nitric  ether,  5  parts ; 
alcohol,  5  parts ;  muriate  of  iron,  5  parts. 
Mix  thoroughly  and  then  add  10  parts  sul- 
phate of  copper  dissolved  in  50  parts  of 
water.  O.  G. 


Bnamel   Glaze   for   Coating-  Iron   Fans 

To  prepare  an  enamel  glaze  for  coating 
iron  pans  use  flint  glass,  1.30  parts ;  car- 
bonate of  soda,  20.5  parts;  boracic  acid,  12 
parts.  Dry  at  a  temperature  of  212  de- 
grees and  then  heat  to  redness  and  anneal, 
that  is,  cool   down  very  slowly. 

Birmingham,  Eng.  W.  R.  Bowers. 


burnt  umber  with  1  quart  boiled  linseed 
oil,  heating,  and  then  adding  1  ounce 
asphaltum.  Keep  hot  until  thoroughly 
mixed,  and  thin  with  a  small  quantity  of 
turpentine.  Have  the  surface  of  the  parts 
to  be  enameled  thoroughly  cleaned,  and 
apply  the  enamel  with  a  camel's  hair  brush, 
and  allow  it  to  set.  Then  place  in  an 
oven  and  bake  for  6  hours,  at  a  tempera- 
ture of  250  degrees  P.  When  cool,  rub 
down  with  steel  wool,  and  then  apply  the 
finishing  coat  of  the  desired  color,  and 
allow  to  bake  for  6  or  8  hours.  Rub  down, 
when  cool,  with  a  soft  cloth,  then  varnish 
and  bake  again  at  200  degrees  F.  The 
heating  and  cooling  should  be  done  gradu- 
ally each  time  so  as  not  to  crack  the 
enamel.  Black  enamel  usually  requires  a 
higher  degree  of  temperature  than  any 
other  kind,  or  about  300  degrees  F. 

Urbana,  III.  T.   E.  O'Donnell. 


PRODUCING  COATINGS  OF   COPPER  OR  BRASS  ON  IRON 


To    Brass    Small   Articles 

To  brass  small  articles  of  iron  or  steel 
drop  them  into  a  quart  of  water  and  % 
ounce  each  of  sulphate  of  copper  and  pro- 
tochloride  of  tin.  Stir  the  articles  in  this 
solution   until  desired   color  is  obtained. 

R.    M. 


Brassing-    Iron 

Iron  ornaments  are  covered  with  copper 
or  brass  by  properly  preparing  the  surface 
so  as  to  remove  all  organic  matter  which 
would  prevent  adhesion,  and  then  plunging 
them  into  melted  brass,  or  copper.  A  thin 
coating  is  thus  spread  over  the  iron,  and  It 
admits  of  being  polished  or  burnished.  The 
better  the  article  is  finished  and  cleaned  be- 
fore dipping,  the  better  will  be  the  final 
result.  R.  B.  Casey. 

Schenectady,  N.  Y. 


Coating  Iron  or  Steel 

Iron  or  steel   may  be  given   a  permanent 
coating  of  yellow  brass  by  using  a   flux  of 


boracic  acid  and  then  dipping  into  a  pot 
of  melted  spelter,  afterwards  wiping  off  the 
article  while  still  hot.  The  electro-plating 
process,  however,  is  the  best  for  this  pur- 
pose. A  coating  of  copper  should  then  first 
be  deposited  on  the  steel,  the  same  as  if  it 
were  to  be  nickel-plated,  and  then  followed 
with  an  electro-plating  of  yellow  brass. 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  L.  Miller. 


Copper  Solution  that  will  Color  on  Oily 
Steel 

To  make  a  copper  solution  that  will  color 
on  oily  steel,  take  i/4  ounce  sulphate  copper 
(blue  vitriol),  4  ounces  water,  1  table- 
spoonful  oil  of  vitriol  (commercial  sulphu- 
ric acid)  and  dissolve  the  sulphate  of  cop- 
per in  the  water,  then  slowly  add  the  oil 
of  vitriol  a  few  drops  at  a  time,  shaking 
well  at  each  addition.  Keep  the  mixture 
away  from  the  face  when  adding  the  oil  of 
vitriol ;  if  the  oil  of  vitriol  is  all  poured 
in  the  bottle  at  once  the  stuff  will  boil  and 
shatter  the  bottle,  as  I  learned  by  experi- 
ence. F.  W.  B. 


FINISHING  AND  COATING  PROCESSES 


29 


To  Prepare  Iron  or  Brass  for  Laying' 
Out   Work 

To  coat  the  finished  surface  of  iron  and 
steel  with  a  copper  film  to  facilitate  laying 
out  work,  make  a  solution  of  sulphate  of 
copper  and  apply  to  the  work  with  a  piece 
of  clean  waste ;  the  copper  film  shows  up 
the  lines  very  plainly.  This  solution  can 
also  be  used  on  brass  by  simply  sprinkling 
iron  filings  on  the  brass  surface,  and  then 
applying  the  copper  sulphate  solution.  The 
surface  to  be  coated  should  in  all  cases  be 
free  from  oil,  grease,  etc. 

Dayton,  O.  Oliver  E.  Voris. 


To  Coat  Iron  with  Copper 
Polish  the  iron  by  rubbing  it  well  with 
cream  of  tartar,  and  afterward  with  char- 
coal powder,  and  place  the  metal  in  hydro- 
chloric acid  diluted  with  three  times  its 
volume  of  water,  in  which  a  few  drops  of 
a  solution  of  sulphate  of  copper  is  poured. 
After  a  few  minutes  withdraw  the  iron  and 
rub  with  a  piece  of  cloth,  then  replace  it 
in  the  solution,  to  which  add  another  por- 
tion of  sulphate  of  copper.  By  following 
this  plan  the  layer  of  cooper  may  be 
increased  at  pleasure.  Finally,  immerse  the 
iron  in  a  solution  of  soda,  wipe  clean  and 
polish  with  chalk.  The  coating  thus  ob- 
tained will  be  as  firm  and  durable  as  that 
deposited  by  the  electrotype  process. 
Pittsburg,  Pa.  U.  Peters. 


Copper  Coating  Solution 

A  copper  coating  solution  for  use  when 
laying  out  work  on  Iron  or  steel  which  I 
have  found  more  satisfactory  than  the  or- 
dinary blue  vitriol  is  a  mixture  of  saturated 
solution  of  zinc  chloride  with  a  very  little 
copper  sulphate  added,  say  a  half-dozen 
drops  of  copper  sulphate  to  a  spoonful  of 
zinc  chloride  solution.  When  a  piece  of 
steel  is  rubbed  with  waste  moistened  in  this 
solution  it  produces  a  bright  copper  surface 
that  does  not  easily  rub  off. 

Cleveland,    Ohio.  Milton   Burgess. 


Copper  Plating  Cast  Iron 

In  the  process  of  covering  cast  iron  with 
a  coating  of  copper  the  pieces  of  cast  iron 
are  first  placed  in  a  bath  made  of  50  parts 
of  hydrochloric  acid,  specific  gravity  1.1, 
and  one  part  '^f  nitric  acid  ;  they  are  next 
immersed  in  a  second  bath  comprised  of 
10  parts  nitric  acid  and  10  parts  chloride 
of  copper  dissolved  in  80  parts  of  hydro- 
chloric acid,  specific  gravity  1.1.  The 
pieces  are  then  rubbed  with  a  woolen  cloth 
and  immersed  again  until  the  desired  thick- 
ness of  copper  is  deposited.  To  give  a 
bronze  appearance  the  copper  surface  Is 
rubbed  with  a  mixture  of  4  parts  sal-am- 
moniac and  one  part  each  of  oxalic  acid 
and  acetic  acid  dissolved  In  30  parts  of 
water.  A.   L.  Monrad. 

New  Haven,  Conn. 


MISCELLANEOUS  FINISHING  AND  COATING 
PROCESSES  FOR  IRON  AND  STEEL 


Tinning'    Cast   Iron 

To  tin  cast-iron  articles,  dissolve  chlor- 
ide of  tin  in  water  until  the  solution  Is 
fully  saturated ;  this  saturated  solution  Is 
to  be  thinned  down  when  needed  for  use, 
by  ten  times  its  volume  of  water.  The 
articles  which  are  to  be  tinned  are  to  be 
wrapped  around  lightly  with  zinc  sheet  or 
wire  and  left  in  the  solution  ten  to  fifteen 
minutes.  On  removing  the  articles  they 
are  to  be  dried  in  sawdust,  after  washing 
well  with  clean  water  and  brushing  them 
with  a  wire  bru-sh,  and  then  polished  with 
prepared  chalk.  Robert  Grimshaw. 

Hannover,  Germany. 


Coloring-  Steel 

Having  occasion  to  darken,  polished  spots 
on  case-hardened  parts  in  order  to  make  the 
entire  pieces  appear  uniform,  I  immersed 
them  for  about  20  seconds  in  a  solution 
made  as   follows :      Eight    cubic   centimeters 


of  nitric  acid  and  40  cubic  centimeters  of 
water,  same  being  measured  by  a  druggist. 
The  pieces  I  refer  to  were  case-hardened  in 
the  usual  manner  (packed  in  bone  dust). 
After  immersing  as  above  stated,  rinse  off 
in  clear  running  water  and  you  will  not 
be  able  to  distinguish  the  difference  be- 
tween the  part  which  was  formerly  bright 
and  the  dark  portion.  Harry  Asii. 

Chicago,   111. 


Wasli    for    Whitening-    Metal    Work    for 
Laying-  Out 

Mix  whiting  and  white  lead  with  boiled 
linseed  oil  to  a  thick  paste :  add  some 
japan  dryer,  and  thin  with  benzine  or 
gasoline.  This  makes  a  fine  preparation 
for  whitening  sheet  Iron  and  other  work 
previous  to  laying  out,  as  any  lines  drawn 
on  the  surface  show  up  very  distinctly.  It 
also  makes  a  very  good  stenciling  or  mark- 
ing paint.  A.   D.  Knauel. 

Moline,   111. 


30 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Wliiting-  Surfaces  for  Layingr  Out  Work 
For  laying  out  work  on  structural  iron  or 
castings  a  better  way  than  chalking  the 
surface  is  to  mix  whiting  with  benzine  or 
gasoline  to  the  consistency  of  paint,  and 
then  paint  it  with  a  brush ;  in  a  few  mln 
utes  the  benzine  or  gasoline  will  evaporate, 
leaving  a  white  surface  ready  to  scribe  lines 
on.  Albert  D.  Knauel. 

Moline,  111. 

To  Imitate  Case-hardening' 

Occasionally  it  becomes  necessary  to 
darken  polished  or  ground  parts  to  imitate 
case-hardening ;  in  order  to  accomplish  this 
result  use  this  mixture :  1  part  nitric  acid 
and  20  parts  water.  Immerse  the  article 
to  be  treated  about  20  seconds,  then  rinse 
with  clear  water.  A  splendid  result  can  be 
accomplished  by  following  the  above  in- 
structions. Harry  Ash. 

Chicago,  111. 

Cold   Tinning   Process    for   Use    on   rin- 
ished  Work  in  Iron,  Brass  or  Steel 

To  tin  by  cold  process  finished  work  in 
iron,  brass,  or  steel  such  as  pins,  tacks, 
wire  goods,  etc.,  put  twenty  pounds  of 
stock  well  cleaned  in  sawdust,  in  a  deep 
pan  (14x20x  3  inches  is  a  good  size)  hav- 
ing a  false  bottom  of  zinc.  Heat  to  the 
boiling  point  a  mixture  of  ^4  ounce  of  sul- 
phuric acid  and  2  ounces  of  tin  crystals 
(stannous  chloride)  and  pour  over  the 
work.  Let  it  stand  ten  minutes  and  then 
Btir  well,  using  a  rake,  and  then  let  it  re- 
main ten  minutes  longer.  Repeat  the  pro- 
cess and  if  two  coats  are  not  enough,  give 
it  a  third  coat.  The  zinc  bottom  must  be 
washed  twice  a  day,  as  rusty  or  oily  work 
will  not  tin  satisfactorily. 

To  polish  the  work,  put  in  a  wooden 
tumbling  barrel  and  pour  in  a  water  pall 
full  of  strong  soap  and  water.  Let  it  tum- 
ble fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  according  to 


the   nature   of  the   work,  and    then   tumble 

for    a    few     minutes    in  hot    sawdust    to 

dry  it.  J.  L.  Ldcas. 
Bridgeport,  Conn. 

To  Produce  a  Mat  Surface  on  Steel 

To  make  a  non-reflecting  or  mat  surface 
on  small  steel  articles  such  as  screws,  small 
steel  stampings,  etc.,  which  at  the  same 
time  shall  be  perfectly  rust-proof,  proceed 
as  follows :  Mix  2  ounces  of  powdered  tar- 
tar with  20  ounces  of  water.  Put  the  arti- 
cles to  be  treated  into  this  mixture  in  an 
earthen  pot,  and  boll  until  they  become 
yellow.  Then  place  the  articles  in  a  tray 
with  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  copper  (blue 
vitriol)  ;  take  out  when  copperized  and  put 
in  a  tray  with  sulphur-ammoniac.  When 
black,  take  out  and  rinse  off  with  water. 
After  the  rinsing  has  been  done  carefully, 
mix  a  quantity  of  clean,  very  dry,  beech- 
wood  sawdust  with  sufficient  sweet  oil,  to 
render  it  slightly  oily.  Then  thoroughly 
mix  and  rub  in  some  powdered  graphite,  but 
only  enough  graphite  should  be  added  to 
give  the  whole  a  blackish  appearance. 
Throw  into  the  sawdust  the  steel  parts  to 
be  blackened,  but  not  more  at  a  time  than 
about  one-third  of  the  quantity  of  the  mix- 
ture. Put  the  whole  in  a  small  coflCee  roast- 
er such  as  is  used  in  private  houses,  and 
after  shaking  well,  roast  the  contents  over 
a  gentle  flame,  in  constant  motion,  until  the 
sawdust  is  burned  to  charcoal.  The  parts 
are  then  ready  to  be  taken  out  and  cooled. 
The  roaster  should  be  tightly  closed  during 
the  roasting  operation. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  lacquer  the  parts 
as  the  color  put  on  in  this  manner  will  not 
wear  off  by  ordinary  handling.  The  parts 
will  have  a  nice  mat  surface  suitable  for 
articles  used  in  photographic  manufacture 
and  art  goods.  The  formula  used  was  a 
secret  for  many  years  and  was  successfully 
used  by  the  inventor.  Max  J.  Ochbs. 

Cleveland,  Ohio. 


TREATING  BRASS  CASTINGS 


Malleable  Brass 

Brass  which  possesses  malleability  in  a 
high  degree  can  be  obtained  by  alloying  57 
parts  of  copper  with  43  of  zinc. 

Pittsburg,  Pa.  U.   Peters. 


To  Pickle  Brass  Castings 

An  excellent  mixture  to  use  for  cleaning 
and  brightening  brass  castings  is  as  fol- 
lows :  Two  parts,  by  measure,  of  nitric 
acid,  and  three  parts  of  sulphuric  acid.    To 


each  quart  of  the  acid  mixture  made  up, 
add  one  pint  of  common  salt  and  stir  until 
dissolved.  The  solution  may  be  held  In  any 
suitable  receptacle,  say,  of  glazed  earthen- 
ware. It  is  only  necessary  to  provide  a 
vessel  large  enough  for  the  immersion  of 
the  largest  piece  to  be  dipped.  The  pieces 
are  simply  dipped  and  removed  at  once,  and 
then  rinsed  in  clear  water.  This  solution 
is  intended  only  for  cleaning  and  brighten- 
ing the  castuigs,  and  not  for  imparting  any 

color.  T.    E.    O'DONNELL. 

Urbana,  111. 


COATED  SURFACES  ON  BRASS,  BRONZE.  ETC. 


31 


Flux  for  Brass 

One  ounce  common  soap,  Vi  ounce  quick- 
lime, V4,  ounce  saltpeter.  Mix  Into  a  ball 
and  place  in  a  crucible  when  lifted  out  of 
the  furnace.  This  is  sufiBcient  for  about  50 
pounds  of  metal.  W.   R.   Bowers. 

Birmingham,    Eng. 


To  Clean  Brass  Castinifs 
Brass  work  that  has  become  dirty  or 
corroded  in  service  may  be  cleaned  in  the 
following  wash  :  1/3  part  nitric  acid,  2/3 
part  sulphuric  acid,  and  y^  pound  common 
salt  to  each  10  gallons  of  solution.  Dip 
the  castings  in  the  solution  for  half  a 
minute  and  then  rinse  in  boiling  water  and 
dry  in  pine  sawdust.  E.   W.  Bowen. 

Denver,  Col. 


Busting-  for  Molds  for  Brass   Work 

To  produce  light  castings  of  brass  and 
gun-metal  with  a  clean  face  and  fine  skin, 
first  dust  the  mold  with  pea  meal  and  on 
top  of  same  add  a  slight  dust  of  plumbago ; 
for  heavy  castings  dust  only  with  plum- 
bago. W.   II.  Bowers. 

Birmingham,    Eng. 


Cleaning-  Solution  for  Brass 

To  make  a  cleaning  solution  for  brass 
work  mix  li^  ounce  nitric  acid.  1  dram 
saltpeter,  2  ounces  rain  water.  Let  the 
mixture  stand  a  few  hours  and  then  the 
articles  to  be  cleaned  may  be  dipped  in 
quickly  and  then  rinsed  off  and  dried. 

R.    M.    K. 


PRODUCING  COATED  SURFACES  ON  BRASS,  BRONZE, 

COPPER,  ZINC  AND  TIN 


Blacking-  Brass 

For  blacking  brass  I  find  nothing  superior 
to  chloride  of  antimony.  The  articles 
should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  polished, 
then  immersed  in  the  solution  for  a  short 
time,  and  dried  over  a  spirit  lamp ;  then 
brush  with  a  black  lead  brush. 

Angelica,  N.  Y.  F.  H.  Jackson. 


Por  Bluing  Small  Brass  Articles  by 
Immersion 

To  blue  small  brass  articles  by  immersion, 
use  chloride  of  antimony,  1  ounce ;  water, 
20  ounces ;  hydrochloric  acid,  3  ounces. 
Place  the  solution  in  an  earthen  jar  and 
suspend  the  piece  in  this  bath  until  blue, 
then  wash  and  dry  in  sawdust.  The  pieces 
should  be  warmed  first. 

To  blue  steel  without  heat,  apply  nitric 
acid ;  wipe  off  the  acid  clean,  oil  and 
burnish.  L.  E.  Mdncy. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 


To  Blacken  Brasswork  for  Instruments 

To  give  a  dull  black  surface  to  brass- 
work,  paint  it  with  a  mixture  made  of  a 
thimbleful  of  lampblack,  to  which  is  added 
4  or  5  spots  of  gold  size.  Mix  well  with 
a  knife  on  a  flat  slate  until  the  whole  is 
about  as  thick  as  putty.  Only  put  sufficient 
gold  size  to  make  the  lampblack  stick  to- 
gether, as  too  much  will  make  a  bright  in- 
stead of  a  dull  black.  Add  about  twice  the 
volume  of  turpentine  to  the  mixture,  stir 
well  with  a  camel's  hair  brush,  and  apply 
to  the  brasswork.  Jos.  M.  Stabel. 

Rochester,   N.  Y. 


To  Copper  Brass  for  Laying  Out  -Work 

To  apply  a  copper  coloring  upon  brass  for 
laying  out  work,  put  a  few  drops  of  the 
ordinary  coppering  solution  upon  the  brass 
and  then  dip  a  piece  of  iron  or  steel  into 
the  solution  and  touch  the  brass. 

Providence,  R.  I.  Oscar  J.  Beale. 


Frosting-  Brass  Work 

Boil  the  brass  In  caustic  potash,  rinse  in 
clean  water,  and  dip  in  nitric  acid  till  all 
oxide  is  removed ;  then  wash  quickly,  dry 
in  warm  boxwood  sawdust,  and  lacquer 
while  warm.  This  will  give  brass  an  orna- 
mental finish.  F.  H.  Jackson. 

Angelica,  N.  Y. 


Tinning  Wash  for  Brass  Work 
To  prepare  a  tinning  wash  for  brass 
work,  use  6  pounds  of  white  argil  (potter's 
clay),  4  gallons  of  soft  water,  and  5  pounds 
tin  shavings.  Boil  the  brass  work  in  this 
solution   for   15    or  20   minutes. 

Birmingham,  Eng.  W.  R.  Bowers. 


Black  Bronze  for  Brass 
Dip  the  article,  cleaned  bright,  in  aqua- 
fortis (nitric  acid)  ;  rinse  the  acid  off 
with  clean  water,  and  place  it  in  the  fol- 
lowing mixture  until  it  turns  black :  Hy- 
drochloric acid,  12  pounds;  sulphate  of 
iron,  1  pound,  and  pure  white  arsenic,  1 
pound.  It  is  then  taken  out,  rinsed  in  clean 
water,  dried  in  sawdust,  polished  with  black 
lead  and  lacquered  with  green  lacquer. 
Rochester,  N.  Y.  Jos.  M.  Sxabel. 


32 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Silver  White  Bronze 

To  prepare  silver  white  bronzing  powder, 
melt  together  one  ounce  each  of  bismuth 
and  tin,  adding  one  ounce  of  mercury. 
When   cool,   pulverize   into  a   fine  powder. 

Hoboken,   N.   J.  R.   P.    Perry. 


Mat  Sip  for  Brass 

To  make  a  mat  dip  for  brass,  mix  1  part 
sulphuric  acid  in  1  to  2  parts  of  nitric 
acid  and  1  part  sulphate  of  zinc.  Let  the 
mixture  stand  24  hours,  and  use  hot.  More 
or  less  nitric  acid  gives  a  fine  or  coarse 
effect,  as  may  be  preferred. 

Bridgeport,  Conn.  J.  L.  Lucas. 


To  Produce  a  Gray  Color  on  Brass 

First  clean  off  with  alcohol,  polish  the 
surface  to  an  even  finish,  making  sure  that 
grease  or  finger  marks  are  removed.  Then 
immerse  in  a  solution  of  one  ounce  of  ar- 
senic chloride  to  one  pint  of  water  until 
the  desired  color  is  obtained.  Wash  in 
clean,  warm  water,  dry  in  boxwood  saw- 
dust, warm,  lacquer  with  a  thin  pale  solu- 
tion of  bleached  shellac  in  methyl  alcohol, 
using  a  broad  camel's  hair  brush. 

Donald   A.    IIampson. 

Middletown,   N.   Y. 


Solution  for  Bluing*  Brass 

A  suitable  solution  for  bluing  brass  is 
prepared  by  dissolving  1  ounce  of  antimony 
chloride  in  20  ounces  of  water  and  adding 
3  ounces  of  pure  hydrochloric  acid.  Any 
amount  of  solution  may  be  made  up,  pro- 
vided the  different  ingredients  are  in  the 
above  proportion.  To  -apply,  place  the 
warmed  brass  article  into  the  solution  until 
it  has  turned  blue.  Then  remove  it  and 
wash  with  clean  water,  after  which  dry  in 

sawdust.  T.     E.     O'DONNELL. 

Urbana,  111. 


To  Coat  Brass  or  Copper  with  Tin 
To  tin  brass  or  copper  melt  5  pounds  of 
tin  and  pour  same  into  a  tank  containing 
one  ounce  of  cream  of  tartar  in  about  8 
gallons  of  water.  This  must  be  done  a 
drop  at  a  time  to  subdivide  the  tin  so  as 
to  give  a  larger  surface  for  the  cream  of 
tartar  to  act  upon,  and  have  the  bottom  of 
tank  covered  with  tin.  Then  put  a  fire 
under  the  tank  and  place  parts  to  be 
tinned  in  the  tank  and  let  them  boll  for 
about  one  hour,  or  until  they  are  coated 
sufficiently.  H.  C. 


To  Copper  Brass  for  Iiaying*  Out  Work 

To  apply  a  copper  coating  on  brass  for 
laying  out  purposes,  apply  the  ordinary 
copper  solution  in  the  same  manner  as  used 
on  iron  or  steel.  Then,  while  the  brass  Is 
still  wet  with  this  solution,  cover  the  en- 
tire surface  with  a  thin  layer  of  fine  cast 
Iron  dust  from  the  drill  press.  Brush  off 
the  cast  iron  dust,  and  the  surface  will 
have  a  nice  copper  coating.  C.  S. 


Brlg'ht  Dip   for  Brass,   Copper   and 
Bronze 

A  bright  dip  for  brass,  copper  and  bronze 
may  be  produced  as  follows  :  Make  a  solu- 
tion of  100  parts  by  weight  of  nitric  acid, 
50  parts  sulphuric  acid,  1  part  soot,  and  1 
part  salt.  The  salt  and  soot  make  the  dip 
work  smoothly.  The  article  should  be 
dipped  in  this  solution,  well  washed,  and 
dried  in  sawdust  to  prevent  streaking. 

Bridgeport,  Conn.  S.  11.  Sweet. 


To  Coat  Zinc  Sheet  Black  for  Templet 
Work 

A  receipt  which  I  have  found  very  suc- 
cessful for  coating  zinc  or  tin  sheets  black 
for  templet  work,  is  the  following,  taken 
from  Brown  &  Sharpe's  book  on  gearing, 
page  85  : 

"Dissolve  1  ounce  of  sulphate  of  copper 
(blue  vitriol)  in  about  4  ounces  of  water, 
and  add  about  one-half  teaspoonful  of  nitric 
acid.  Apply  a  thin  coating  with  a  piece 
of  waste."  Alex.  C.  Labak. 

Chattanooga,  Tenn. 


Silver  Solxition  for  Electro-plating- 

Put  together,  into  a  glass,  1  ounce  silver, 
made  thin,  and  cut  into  strips,  2  ounces 
best  nitric  acid,  and  V^  ounce  clean  rain- 
water. If  the  solution  does  not  begin  to 
act  at  once,  add  a  little  more  water,  and 
continue  to  add  a  very  little  at  a,  time 
until  it  does.  In  the  event  that  it  starts  off 
well,  but  stops,  before  the  silver  is  dis- 
solved, it  generally  may  be  started  up 
again  by  adding  a  little  more  water.  When 
the  solution  is  entirely  effected,  add  one 
quart  of  warm  rain  water  and  a  large 
tablespoonful  of  table  salt.  Shake  well  and 
let  settle ;  then  proceed  to  pour  off  and 
wash  through  other  waters.  When  no 
longer  acid  to  the  taste,  put  in  li^  ounce 
cyanuret  potassa  and  a  quart  pure  rain 
water.  After  standing  about  twenty-four 
hours  it  will  be  ready  for  use. 

St.  Louis,  Mo.  Samuel  Sxrobel. 


COATED  SURFACES  ON  BRASS,  BRONZE,  ETC. 


33 


To  Blacken  Zinc  for  I^aying-  Out 

The  following  receipt  is  often  used  for 
coating  iron  or  steel,  but  it  is  not  generally 
known  among  many  of  the  craft  that  it 
may  be  used  to  prepare  zinc  for  sketching, 
giving  the  zinc  a  dark  coating.  Dissolve  1 
ounce  sulphate  of  copper  in  4  ounces  water, 
add  %  teaspoonful  of  nitric  acid  and  apply 
a  thin  coating  to  the  zinc  with  a  piece  of 
waste.  If  used  for  iron  or  steel  the  work 
shojid  then  be  rubbed  dry.  Care  should  be 
taken  in  handling  and  using  the  mixture,  as 
it  rusts  iron  and  steel  badly  if  left  on. 

U.   M. 


Becoloring'  Bronze 

Bronze  may  be  renovated  and  recolored 
by  mixing  one  part  muriatic  acid  and  two 
parts  water,  and  applying  the  diluted  acid 
to  the  bronze  articles  with  a  cloth.  Before 
applying  the  acid  the  articles  should  be 
cleaned  thoroughly  from  all  grease.  After 
having  applied  the  acid  let  the  article  dry, 
and  then  polish  with  sweet  oil. 

E.  W.  Norton. 


Acid  Dip  for  Bronze  Castings 
A  very  suitable  and  effective  acid  dip 
for  bronze  castings  may  be  made  up  in  the 
following  manner.  The  constituents  re- 
quired are :  One  gallon  pale  aqua  fortis, 
1  gallon  oil  vitriol,  4  quarts  of  water,  and 
8  ounces  of  rock  salt.  In  mixing  the  acids 
add  the  vitriol  to  the  aqua  fortis,  after 
which  the  water  should  be  introduced,  by 
pouring  it  very  slowly  into  the  acid  solu- 
tion. Water  should  never  be  poured  into 
the  acids  separately.  When  the  water  and 
acids  have  become  thoroughly  mixed,  the 
salt  may  then  be  added.  The  solution  be- 
comes quite  warm  after  mixing,  which  is 
a  good  time  to  add  the  salt,  as  the  heated 
solution  dissolves  the  salt  readily.  •  After 
mixing,  the  solution  should  stand  from  10 
to  12  hours  before  using.  It  is  best  to 
make  a  large  quantity  of  the  solution  if 
much  dipping  is  to  be  done.  To  secure  the 
best  results  it  is  necessary  that  the  solu- 
tion be  kept  at  as  low  a  temperature  as 
possible,  hence  it  is  advisable  to  place  the 
receptacle  in  a  tank  of  cold  water,  or  what 
is  better,  place  it  in  running  water. 
Urbana,  III.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 


To  Blacken  Tin  for  laying  Out 
Very  often  in  the  shop  and  also  in  the 
drawing  room  we  want  to  lay  out  some 
piece  of  work  for  trial  on  something  which 
will  show  fine  accurate  marks,  but  cannot 
obtain   a   piece   of  sheet   zinc.     I   have   used 


something  which  is  just  as  good  and  more 
likely  to  be  at  hand,  and  that  is  a  sheet  of 
bright  tin  plate  rubbed  over  with  a  piece 
of  waste  dipped  in  a  sulphate  of  copper 
solution.  This  is  made  of  water  and  blue 
stone  with  oil  of  vitriol  added  to  the  pro- 
portion 1  of  vitriol  to  50  water.  Rub  the 
tin  thoroughly,  keeping  the  waste  wet  with 
plenty  of  fresh  solution  and  soon  you  will 
see  spots  of  brass,  then  of  copper,  then  a 
dark  gray,  nearly  black,  which  wipe  dry, 
and  you  will  have  an  ideal  surface  to  lay 
out  on. 

The  above  is  a  kink  which  I  have  found 
very  useful.  F.  W.  Bach. 

Ilion,  N.  Y. 


To   Blacken   Brass   for   Templet  "Work 
and  Other  Purposes 

The  brass  must  be  thoroughly  cleaned, 
and  then  is  heated  slowly  over  a  charcoal 
Are.  care  being  taken  not  to  allow  the  brass 
to  touch  the  charcoal,  or  indeed  not  to  al- 
low any  sparks  from  the  charcoal  to  come 
in  contact  with  the  brass,  as  it  will  cause 
red  spots.  As  soon  as  the  brass  is  slightly 
red,  dip  it  into  nitric  acid  and  reheat,  just 
short  of  red.  Rub  strongly  with  a  stiff 
bristle  brush  and  clean  with  a  greasy  cloth. 
This  gives  a  fairly  permanent  dead  black 
finish.  p.  H.  Oto. 


Antique  Brass  Finish  Shop  Receipt 

It  is  comparatively  easy  to  get  a  nice 
antique  finish  on  copper  or  copper-plated  ar- 
ticles, but  the  treatment  of  brass  is  more 
difficult.  Most  of  the  processes  used  do 
not  give  a  nice,  clear  black,  but  instead,  a 
dull  or  grayish  black  coating.  At  one  time, 
when  visiting  the  shop  of  the  Puritan  Mfg» 
Co.,  Decatur,  111.,  I  noted  the  beautiful  jet 
black  of  the  brass  articles  made  up  with 
the  antique  finish,  and  upon  expressing  my 
curiosity  as  to  how  it  was  obtained,  was 
offered  the  formula.  The  articles  are  first 
dipped  into  a  strong,  hot  solution  of  potash, 
and  then  well  rinsed  in  water ;  they  are  then 
immersed  in  a  mixture  of  one  part  sulphuric 
and  two  parts  nitric  acid,  and  instantly 
liased  in  clear,  cold  water.  Next  they  are 
placed  in  a  bath  consisting  of  two  ounces 
acetate  of  lead  and  one  ounce  hyposulphite 
of  soda  to  each  gallon  of  water  in  the  tank. 
This  solution  must  be  almost  boiling  when 
used.  The  brass  is  moved  around  in  this 
until  the  desired  black  is  obtained,  then 
rinsed  and  dried.  When  dry  and  cool  spot 
on  a  rag  wheel.  If  brass  doesn't  turn  black 
enough  in  above  solution  add  just  a  little 
more  lead.  Ethan  Viall. 

Decatur,  III. 


34 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Iiacquer  for  Brass 

I  have  found  that  the  following  process 
makes  a  very  good  lacquer  for  the  brass 
parts  of  fire  instruments,  and  that  It  re- 
quires but  little  labor  to  prepare.  Make 
four  alcoholic  solutions  in  separate  bottles 
of  each  of  the  following  gums :  Unbleached 
shellac,  dragon's  blood,  annatto,  and  gam- 
boge, in  the  proportions  of  about  one  ounce 
of  the  gum  to  a  pint  of  alcohol.  Keep 
these  solutions  about  a  week  in  a  warm 
place,  on  a  hot  water  or  steam  radiator,  for 
instance,  shaking  the  bottles  frequently. 
It  will  be  found  that  the  alcohol  will  not 
dissolve  all  of  the  gum,  but  that  within 
half  an  hour  after  shaking,  a  precipitate 
will  settle  on  the  bottom  of  the  bottle, 
leaving  a  perfectly  transparent  but  highly 
colored  liquid  above,  which  deepens  in  color 
from  day  to  day.  Decant  this  off,  and 
alter  through  cloth,  placing  the  liquids  in 
tightly  corked  bottles.  A  word  of  caution 
should  be  given  in  the  case  of  shellac. 
Most  readers  of  Machinery  are  familiar 
with  the  yellow  opaque  shellac  varnish  of 
the  pattern-maker.  This  is  useless.  But  if 
the  above  proportions  are  used,  and  the  so- 
lution kept  warm,  say  130  to  180  degrees 
F.,  a  light  flcjculent  precipitate  will  settle 
out,  leaving  a  transparent  wine-colored 
liquid  above.  It  is  this  liquid  which  must 
he  used.  The  four  solutions  should  now  be 
mixed.  Equal  parts  of  each  give  a  rich 
golden  yellow.  After  mixing,  the  solutions 
should  be  boiled  down  to  about  one-third  of 
the  volume,  great  care  being  used  not  to 
ignite  the  alcohol.  Heat  a  piece  of  cast 
iron  over  a  Bunsen  burner,  and  as  soon  as 
this  is  hot,  turn  out  the  burner  and  place 
the  solution  on  the  iron  and  allow  it  to 
'boil.  When  it  ceases  to  boil,  repeat  the 
Process.  When  cold  this  solution  may  be 
applied  with  a  brush  to  the  brass  in  the 
usual  way,  the  brass  having  been  polished 
with  jewelers'  fine  emery  paper,  and  slightly 
warmed.  Though  slightly  harder  to  apply 
than  the  commercial  lacquers,  it  possesses 
none  of  the  disagreeable  odor  of  the  banana 
oil  which  they  contain.  11.  C.  Lokd. 

Columbus,  Ohio. 


Producing'  Black  Nickel  Coating's  on 
Metal  Surfaces 

The  following  solution  for  depositing  a 
black  nickel  coating  on  metal  surfaces  Is 
given  by  the  Brass  World.  The  solution 
consists  of  the  following  constituents : 
water,  1  gallon ;  double  nickel  salts,  8 
ounces ;  ammonium  sulphocyanate  2 
ounces;     zinc    sulphate,     1     ounce.     If    tlic 


zinc  sulphate  is  not  in  the  form  of  white 
crystals,  but  is  white  and  dry,  then  only 
Yj  ounce  should  be  used.  The  double  nickel 
salts  are  dissolved  in  the  water,  and  then 
the  ammonium  sulphocyanate  is  added. 
After  this  has  been  done,  the  zinc  sulphate 
is  introduced.  The  solution  is  used  at  its 
ordinary  temperature,  but  in  winter  should 
not  be  allowed  to  get  colder  than  60  de- 
grees F.,  and  works  best  at  about  80  de- 
grees F.  Ordinary  nickel  anodes  are  em- 
ployed, with  a  surface  several  times  that 
of  the  work  to  be  plated.  The  work  is 
cleaned  carefully,  preparatory  to  the  plat- 
ing. The  black  nickel  deposit  may  be  put 
directly  on  steel,  brass,  copper,  German 
silver,  or  bronze,  but  it  is  preferable  to 
first  flash  the  work  in  a  hot  copper  solu- 
tion, then  in  a  white  nickel  solution,  and 
finally  deposit  the  black  nickel.  For  cheap 
work,  the  copper  and  white  nickel  deposits 
may  be  dispensed  with,  but  the  black  nickel 
is  less  apt  to  peel  off  if  put  on  the  white 
nickel.  The  black  nickel  is  deposited  with 
a  weak  current.  Best  results  are  obtained 
with  a  current  from  1/3  to  %  of  a  volt. 

The  deposition  should  be  allowed  to 
stand  for  an  hour  or  more  if  a  heavy  de- 
posit is  desired.  When  the  article  comes 
from  the  black  nickel  solution,  it  will  be 
found  that  it  is  of  a  gray  or  brown  shade. 
While  this  disappears  to  a  considerable  ex- 
tent when  lacquered,  the  color  is  not  a 
dead  black.  By  using  a  dip  consisting  of 
1  gallon  of  water,  12  ounces  of  iron  per- 
chloride,  and  1  ounce  of  muriatic  acid,  a 
dead  black  color  is  produced.  All  nickel 
deposits  should  be   lacquered  after  dipping. 

The  following  causes  of  difficulties  should 
be  guarded  against :  If  the  black  nickel 
deposit  has  spear-shaped  markings  on  It 
and  is  partly  white,  too  high  a  voltage  has 
been  used.  If  the  deposit  flakes  off  after 
standing  for  some  time,  too  strong  a  cur- 
rent has  been  used,  or  the  work  has  not 
been  clean.  If  the  deposit  is  too  heavy,  it 
is  also  apt  to  flake  ofiC.  If  the  deposit  is 
still  brown  or  gray  after  it  comes  from  the 
dip,  the  dip  is  old,  or  the  article  has  not 
remained  in  the  dip  long  enough.  If, 
although  the  voltage  is  right  (less  than 
one  volt),  the  deposit  is  streaked,  the  bath 
has  become  acid ;  add  carbonate  of  nickel 
(plastic)  to  neutralize  the  acid.  Use  plenty 
of  anode  surface  and  old  nickel  anodes  if 
possible.  If  the  edges  of  the  deposit  are 
removed  in  the  dip,  the  dip  is  too  hot,  or 
the  black  nickel  was  not  deposited  a  suffi- 
ciently long  time.  If  the  surface  is  iri- 
descent after  lacquering,  the  lacquer  is  too 
thin. 


COATED  SURFACES  ON  BRASS.  BRONZE.  ETC. 


35 


A  Gun-metal  Finish 

To  make  an  imitation  gun-metal  finish 
■by  electrical  process  take  %  pound  of  the 
double  nickel  salts  to  a  gallon,  and  dis- 
solve in  boiling  water.  After  the  solution 
has  cooled,  add  ammonia  until  it  is  slightly 
alkalized,  then  add  sulphuret  cyanide  of 
potassium,  about  %  ounce  to  a  gallon. 
If  a  darker  finish  is  required  add  more 
sulphuret.  This  will  work  excellently  on 
all  metals  and  they  will  come  from  the 
solution  with  a  very  high  luster.  If  the 
work  has  been  buffed  and  dipped  before 
plating,  it  will  require  no  further  finishing, 
and  should  then  be  lacquered.  It  should 
be  run  with  a  very  mild  current  from  three 
■  to  four  minutes.  J.  L.  Lucas. 

Bridgeport,  Conn. 


To  Bronze  Yellow  Brass 

To  produce  a  bronze  finish  on  rough  yel- 
low brass  castings,  mix  equal  parts  of  nitric 
acid,  sulphuric  acid  and  water ;  the  nitric 
acid  and  water  should  be  mixed  first  and 
the  sulphuric  acid  added  slowly.  Dip  the 
yellow  brass  castings  into  boiling  water  a 
moment,  then  in  the  acid  solution,  then 
quickly  back  into  the  boiling  water,  and 
rinse  thoroughly  in  clean  water.  Dry  in 
pine  sawdust.  The  castings  must  be  per- 
fectly free  from  soldering  solutions,  etc.,  or 
stains  are  liable  to  appear.  This  method 
gives  a  finish  similar  to  gas  fixtures,  etc., 
and  may  be  rendered  very  permanent  by 
•coating  with  a   transparent  lacquer. 

I.  W.  Antano. 


To  Plate  Porous  Work 

In  the  plating  of  brass  or  cast  iron,  or 
other  porous  metals,  there  is  more  or  less 
trouble  with  what  is  called  "spotting  out" 
which  is  caused  by  the  cyanide  getting  into 
the  pores,  and  it  has  been  hard  to  find  a 
satisfactory  remedy  for  this  trouble.  The 
following  can  be  used  with  good  results : 
First,  give  the  work  a  good  stiff  coat  of 
nickel,  then  put  it  through  a  brass  solu- 
tion without  buflSng.  After  the  required 
deposit  has  been  obtained,  rinse  it  in  cold 
water,  and  then  hang  in  boiling  water,  as 
long  as  possible  without  tarnishing.  Then 
hang  it  in  a  good  hot  oven  until  thoroughly 
dried  out,  after  which  buff  and  hang  for  a 
few  moments  in  gasoline,  and  put  it  in  the 
oven  again.  You  will  find  this  will  cure 
a  great  deal  of  the  trouble  experienced  on 
that  class  of  work.  This  is  a  valuable 
process   and   one  never   before   printed. 

Bridgeport,  Conn.  J.  L.  Lucas. 


Silver  Paste  for  Brass 

This  paste  is  used  for  slivering  the  scales 
on  thermometers  and  the  dials  for  clocks, 
aneroid  barometers,  steam  gages,  etc. 

Put  in  an  ordinary  tea  cup  or  other  suit- 
able vessel,  1  ounce  of  silver — coin  silver 
will  do,  but  pure  silver  is  better  and 
cheaper.  Pill  the  cup  half  full  of  nitric 
acid,  and  place  it  in  a  vessel  containing 
water,  which  must  be  heated.  As  the  acid 
heats,  it  throws  off  fumes  in  shape  of  a 
brown  smoke,  very  poisonous.  When  the 
smoke  ceases  to  appear,  add  a  teaspoonful 
of  common  table  salt,  and  when  the  fumes 
caused  by  this  cease,  take  the  cup  from  the 
heat  immediately  and  fill  slowly  to  the  top 
with  cold  water.  Allow  the  white  powder 
that  will  now  be  found  in  the  cup  to  settle 
to  the  bottom  and  then  slowly  decant  the 
liquid.  When  almost  empty,  fill  again  with 
cold  water,  and  decant  again,  repeating  this 
process  at  least  half  a  dozen  times.  Mix 
the  powder  (commercial  chloride  of  silver 
will  do  instead)  with  10  pounds  table  salt, 
and  V2  pound  cream  of  tartar.  Mix  thor- 
oughly dry,  then  add  enough  cold  water  to 
make  a  paste.  Add  the  water  slowly  so  as 
not  to  get  in  too  much.  Keep  in  a  covered 
vessel  and  from  the  light. 

The  graduation  marks,  figures,  and  let- 
ters, stamped  or  cut  into  the  work  may  be 
tilled  with  ordinary  roofing  tar,  which  is 
applied  by  heating  the  work  enough  to  melt 
the  tar.  Most  of  the  surplus  tar  may  be 
scraped  off  with  the  edge  of  a  card,  or  any 
cardboard  handy.  This  filling  stands  bet- 
ter than  sealing  wax,  and  will  not  dissolve 
and  blur  when  lacquered  if  the  lacquer  is 
put  on  properly.  Another  filling  is  japan, 
which  is  applied  with  a  brush  cold,  and 
cleaned  with  a  card  as  before.  It  is  then 
baked,  and  when  the  work  is  finished,  the 
filling  will  be  found  to  be  glossy  and  per- 
manent and  will  not  be  dissolved  by  any 
lacquer  or  heat. 

The  piece  to  be  silvered  should  be  thor- 
oughly cleaned  with  emery  cloth  or  paper 
just  before  applying  the  paste,  which  is  to 
be  put  on  by  hand  and  rubbed  well  in  the 
surface  of  the  work.  After  this  is  done, 
the  work  should  have  a  dirty,  silvery  yellow 
tinge,  which  will  be  brightened  by  rubbing 
with  a  dry  mixture  of  %  pound  cream  of 
tartar  and  10  pounds  salt  well  mixed.  The 
work  should  be  thoroughly  washed  to  clear 
it  of  the  surplus  salt  and  then  dried  in  saw- 
dust and  lacquered.  I  have  used  this  meth- 
od for  silvering  over  30,000  steam  gage  and 
clock  dials,  and  many  other  dials  and 
scales ;  hence  I  know  it  Is  all  right. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  J.  S.  Gordon. 


36 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To  Blacken  Brass 

Should  it  be  desired  to  change  the  color 
of  an  article  made  of  brass  to  a  dark 
bronze  or  black,  the  following  compound 
will  be  found  to  give  good  results,  espe- 
clnlly  if  the  metal  has  a  polished  surface. 
First  make  up  a  solution  of  120  grains  of 
nitrate  of  silver  and  5  ounces  of  water ; 
then  dissolve  120  grains  of  copper  nitrate 
in  5  ounces  of  water.  Mix  the  two  solu- 
tions together  in  equal  parts,  making  a 
quantity  sufficient  to  immerse  the  articles. 
Clean  the  brass  articles  to  be  blackened 
thoroughly  in  hot  soda  water,  and  then  dip 
in  the  above  compound.  Remove  and  heat 
in  an  oven  until  the  proper  shade  of  color 
appears.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 

Urbana,  111. 


For  Coloring'  Brass  Blue   Black 
To  color   brass   blue   black   make   a   solu- 
tion  of   ammonia   and    copper   carbonate  in 


the  approximate  proportion  of  10  parts  of 
ammonia  and  one  part  of  copper  carbonate 
by  weight.  Shake  the  mixture  well  until 
the  copper  carbonate  is  dissolved,  adding 
the  copper  carbonate  to  the  ammonia  little 
by  little  until  the  ammonia  will  not  dis- 
solve any  more ;  then  add  a  volume  of  clear 
water  equal  to  about  one-fourth  of  the 
mixture.  The  brass  to  be  colored  should 
be  polished  bright,  either  with  fine  dry 
emery  cloth,  taking  care  not  to  touch  the 
polished  surface  with  the  fingers,  or  made 
clean  and  bright  by  dipping  in  a  strong 
solution  of  caustic  soda.  Before  dipping 
agitate  the  compound  thoroughly  and  then 
immerse  the  pieces  of  brass,  keeping  them 
in  motion  two  or  three  minutes,  rinse  off 
in  cleaa  water,  and  dry  in  sawdust  or  clean 
cotton  waste.  When  not  in  use  the  solu- 
tion should  be  kept  in  a  tightly-corked  bot- 
tle. I  have  used  it  on  instrument  work 
very    successfully.  H.    M.    Webek. 

Cambridge,  Mass. 


RUST  REMOVERS  AND  PREVENTATIVES 


To  Prevent  Bzposed  Iron  Busting^ 

To  prevent  iron,  which  is  exposed  to 
moisture,  from  rusting,  paint  over  with  a 
coat  of  Portland  liquid  cement.  This  is 
very  satisfactory  for  posts  which  are  set  in 
the   ground.  James   A.   Pratt. 

Howard,   R.   I. 


To  Prevent   Screws   from  Getting 
Busty 

To  prevent  screws  from  getting  rusty 
and  sticking  tight,  instead  of  using  ordi- 
nary oil  only,  add  some  graphite.  After 
years  you  will  be  able  to  unscrew  them 
with  ease,  and  find  them  as  bright  as  new, 
even  if  they  were  exposed  to  very  damp 
air.  J.  M.  Menegus. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal. 


Bust-preventing  Mixture 
Melt  4  ounces  of  rosin  in  1  quart  of 
linseed  oil  and  mix  with  2  gallons  of  kero- 
sene oil.  The  mixture  is  readily  applied 
with  a  cloth  or  brush,  and  can  be  easily 
removed.  M.  E.  Canek. 


To  Clean  Busty  Pieces  of  Steel 

Put  the  pieces  in  a  solution  of  chlorate 
of  tin,  not  too  strong,  or  it  will  attack  the 
metal,  and  let  them  stay  there  about  24 
hours  or  less.  Take  the  pieces  from  the 
bath,  wash  them  in  water,  then  in  am- 
monia,   and    then   dry   them   quickly.      They 


will  have  an  appearance  almost  of  silver, 
but  will  take  the  natural  color  by  rubbing 
them.  J.  M.  Menegus. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal. 


To  Keep  Machinery  from  Busting 

A  formula  for  an  anti-rust  compound  is 
made  as  follows  :  Dissolve  1  ounce  of  cam- 
phor in  1  pound  of  melted  lard ;  take  off 
the  scum,  and  mix  in  as  much  fine  black 
lead  as  will  give  it  color.  Clean  the 
machinery,  and  smear  it  with  the  mixture, 
and  after  24  hours  rub  clean  with  soft 
linen  cloth.  The  machinery  will  keep  clean, 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  for  a  long 
time.  James  A.  Pratt. 

Howard,  R.  L 


To  Bemove  Bust  from  Small  Steel  Farts 

Rust  may  be  removed  from  small  steel 
parts  such  as  screws,  nuts,  pins,  etc.,  when 
they  are  not  badly  pitted,  by  dipping  them 
into  a  dilute  solution  of  sulphuric  acid. 
To  prepare  the  acid  bath,  pour  the  acid 
little  by  little  into  a  bowl  partly  filled 
with  water.  After  each  addition  of  acid, 
try  one  of  the  rusted  parts,  and  continue 
trying  until  the  proper  strength  is  obtained 
to  eat  the  rust  off  clean.  Better  results 
will  be  obtained  in  this  manner  than  by 
working  to  a  set  formula.  Let  the  parts 
remain  in  the  acid  bath  until  cleaned  of 
rust,  then  remove  and  wash  in  soda  water, 
and  then  in  benzine.  Finally  dry  the  parts 
and  brighten  in  sawdust.         S.  W.  Greem. 


SOLDERS  AND  SOLDERING  ACIDS 


37 


Preservative  Oil 
To  make  a  preservative  oil  use  high  test 
grain  alcohol  and  best  grade  of  sperm  oil, 
equal  parts.  Keep  in  a  tightly-corked 
bottle,  and  shake  well  before  using  as  the 
alcohol  and  oil  separate  after  standing. 
Any  moisture  on  a  tool  or  gun  at  the  time 
of  application  is  quickly  absorbed  by  the 
alcohol  which  in  a  short  time  evaporates, 
leaving  a  good  coat  of  sperm  oil  to  protect 
the  surfaco  from  rust.         E.  W.  Norton. 


Removing-  Rust  from  Steel 

A  good  method  for  removing  rust  from 
steel  is  to  first  rub  the  object  with  sweet 
oil,  and  then  after  a  day  or  two,  rub  it 
with  finely  powdered  unslaked  lime  until 
the  rust  disappears.  Then  give  it  again  a 
coating  of  oil  with  a  woolen  cloth,  and  put 
it  in  a  dry  place.  E.  W.  Norton. 


Rust  Preventative 

To  make  a  mixture  that  will  prevent 
hardware  and  machinists'  tools  from  rust- 
ing, take  one-half  pint  of  Demar  white  var- 
nish, and  mix  it  well  with  one  gallon  of 
turpentine,  use  as  a  wash.  When  the  pol- 
ished surfaces  are  thoroughly  covered  with 
a  thin  coat  of  the  varnish  it  will  show 
scarcely  any,  but  will  preserve  the  polish 
for  years,  if  it  is  not  scraped  off  with  some- 
thing very  hard.  H.  E.  Wood. 

Pearl  River,  N.  Y. 


Rust  Preventative  for  Tools 

The  following  I  have  used  for  a  number 
of  years,  and  found  it  O.  K.  in  every  re- 
spect. Take  a  pound  of  vaseline  and  melt 
with  It  2  ounces  of  blue  ointment — what 
druggists  call  one-third — and  add,  to  give  it 
a  pleasant  odor,  a  few  drops  of  oil  of  win- 


tergreen,  cinnamon,  or  sassafras.  When 
thoroughly  mixed  pour  into  a  tin  can — an 
old  baking  powder  can  will  do.  Keep  a  rag 
saturated  with  the  preventative  to  wipe 
tools  that  are  liable  to  rust. 

Angelica,  N.  Y.  F.  H.  .Tackson. 


To  Remove  Rust  from  Polished  Steel 

It  quite  frequently  happens  that  parts  of 
machinery  having  polished  surfaces  become 
rusty.  This  rust  is  diflScult  to  remove 
without  scratching  the  highly  polished  sur- 
face. A  very  effective  mixture  for  remov- 
ing rust  from  such  surfaces  without  injury 
may  be  made  as  follows :  Ten  parts  of 
tin  putty,  8  parts  of  prepared  buckshorn, 
and  230  parts  of  spirits  of  wine.  These 
ingredients  are  mixed  to  a  soft  paste,  and 
rubbed  in  on  the  surface  until  the  rust  dis- 
appears. When  no  trace  of  rust  seems  to 
remain,  the  surface  is  polished  with  a  dry, 

soft    cloth.  T.    E.    O'DONNELL. 

Urbana,  111. 


To  Clean  Rusted  Steel — To  Preserve 
Steel  from  Rust 

Rusted  steel  can  be  cleaned  by  brushing 
with  a  paste  compound  of  %  ounce  of 
cyanide  potassium,  i/^  ounce  castile  soap,  1 
ounce  whiting,  and  water  sufficient  to  form 
a  paste.  The  steel  should  be  washed  with 
a  solution  of  V2  ounce  cyanide  potassium 
in   2  ounces  water. 

To  preserve  steel  from  rust  dissolve  1 
part  caoutchoue  and  16  parts  turpentine 
with  a  gentle  heat,  then  add  8  parts  boiled 
oil,  and  mix  by  bringing  them  to  the  heat 
of  boiling  water.  Apply  to  the  steel  with 
a  brush,  the  same  as  varnish.  It  can  be 
removed  again  with  a  cloth  soaked  in  tur- 
pentine. A.    L.   MONRAD. 

New  Haven,  Conn. 


SOLDERS  AND  SOLDERING  ACIDS 


Cheap  Plowing^  Solder 
A  cheap  soft  solder  which  is  good  for 
purposes  where  not  much  pressure  is  car- 
ried, is  made  by  adding  to  each  pound  of 
lead,  while  melting,  one  teaspoonful  of 
common  salt.  C.   L.  Scoville. 

Ashtabula.  Ohio. 


Soldering-  Kink 

When  soldering,  and  no  acid  is  handy,  a 
common  tallow  candle  will  answer  the  pur- 
pose. John  B.  Sperry. 

Aurora,    111. 


Alum.inuni  Solder 

The  following  is  a  receipt  for  aluminum 
solder  which  we  are  using  with  success  in 
the  Elwell-Parker  Electric  Co.'s  shop,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio.  It  is  the  result  of  experiments 
made  by  several  of  our  foremen  :  Pig  tin, 
12  ounces ;  sheet  zinc,  3  ounces ;  mercury, 
1  ounce.  Melt  the  zinc  first  and  then  add 
the  tin.  When  the  tin  is  melted  remove 
from  the  fire  and  add  the  mercury  while 
still  in  the  molten  state.  Be  careful  to 
stir  the  mixture  thoroughly  before  pouring 
into  the  mold.     Use  stearic  acid  for  a  flux. 

Cleveland,  Ohio.  L.  Miller. 


38 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Soldering"  Galvanized  Iron 

For    soldering    galvanized    iron     without 
scraping   use   raw    muriatic   acid. 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  Wm.   Davis. 


Soldering-  Solution  for  Steel  that  will 
not  Bust  the  Work 

A  soldering  solution  for  steel  that  will 
not  rust  or  blacken  the  work  is  made  of 
6  ounces  alcohol,  2  ounces  glycerine  and  1 
ounce  oxide  of  zinc.  A.   L.  Monrad. 

New  Haven,  Conn. 


Non-rusting-  Soldering  Solution 
A  good  anti-rust  solution  for  soldering 
metals  where  acids  must  not  be  used,  is 
made  by  dissolving  rosin  in  acetone,  mak- 
ing a  solution  about  as  thick  as  molasses ; 
it  is  applied  in  the  usual  manner. 

Birmingham,  Bng.  W.  R.  Bowers. 


Non-rusting  Soldering  Fluid 
To  prepare  a  soldering  acid  that  will  not 
rust  iron,  add  to  a  saturated  solution  of 
zinc  and  hydrochloric  acid  14  part  am- 
monia, and  dilute  the  whole  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  water.  This  has  been  very 
successfully  used  on  knitting  machines  in 
soldering  needles  to  their  holders  where 
an  acid  with  the  above  characteristics  is 
essential.  J.  H.  V. 


Non-rusting  Soldering  Fluid 
To  make  a  non-rusting  soldering  fluid, 
dissolve  small  pieces  of  zinc  in  hydrochloric 
acid  till  effervescence  ceases.  After  stand- 
ing a  day,  take  out  the  undissolved  zinc, 
and  filter  the  solution.  Then  mix  with  one- 
third  Its  volume  of  C.  P.  ammonia  26  de- 
grees, Beaume,  and  dilute  with  water  to 
suit  the  work  to  be  soldered.  This  flux 
does  first-class  service  and  does  not  rust 
the  work.  F.  E.  Whittlesey. 

Corry,   Pa. 


Soldering  Aluminum  and  Copper 

It  is  often  stated  that  aluminum  cannot 
be  readily  and  successfully  soldered  to 
other  metals.  I  have,  on  numerous  occa- 
sions, successfully  and  easily  soldered  alum- 
inum to  both  copper  and  brass  by  the  fol- 
lowing method :  First  tin  the  aluminum 
and  the  copper,  or  brass,  using  stearine  as 
a  flux  ;  wipe  off  clean,  then  use  zinc  chloride 
as  flux ;  wipe  solder  composed  of :  tin  67 
per    cent.,    lead    33    per    cent.  T.Iles. 

Manchester,  England. 


Soldering  Alloys 

I    have    used   the    following   soldering   al- 
loys and  can  recommend  them : 

For    copper    with    copper :     Copper,    55 ;. 
zinc,  40 ;  tin,  5. 

For     copper     with     iron:      Copper,     80; 
zinc,  16  ;  tin,  4. 

For  brass  :     Copper,  45  ;  zinc,  50 ;  tin,  5. 

For  lead  :     Lead,  67  ;  tin,  33. 

Los  Angeles,  Cal.  J.  M.  Menegus. 


Soldering-  Paste  for  Copper  "Wires 

Soldering  paste  has  come  into  extensive 
use  in  electrical  work  as  a  flux  for  solder- 
ing, and  the  following  receipt  will  be  found 
useful  In  soldering  copper  wires  when  the 
use  of  an  acid  would  be  objectionable.  This 
paste  will  not  spatter  or  corrode,  and  the 
proportions  are  as  follows  :  Saturate  solu- 
tion chloride  of  zinc,  1  dram;  vaseline,  l^^ 
ounce.  William  Davis. 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Solder  for  Small  Farts 
To  make  a  solder  for  small  metal  articles 
cut  tinfoil  into  the  shape  wanted  and  wet 
on  both  sides  with  sal-ammoniac.  Have 
the  surface  of  the  piece  clean,  place  on  It 
the  wet  tinfoil  and  then  press  the  parts  to- 
gether firmly  and  heat  until  the  tinfoil  Is- 
melted.  E.   W.   Norton. 


Aluminum  Solder 

To  make  a  solder  for  soldering  alum- 
inum, melt  together  1  pound  block  tin,  4 
ounces  spelter,  2  ounces  pure  lead  and 
3  pounds  phosphor  tin.  When  using,  clean 
the  work  with  benzine  and  apply  with  a 
heated  copper  bit  In   the  usual  manner. 

Lynn,  Mass.  L.  C.  Carr. 


Electricians'  Method  of  Soldering 

A  method  of  soldering  that  I  noticed  elec- 
tricians using  in  soldering  wire  is  as  fol- 
lows :  The  solder  is  melted  In  a  pot  and 
then  poured  over  the  joints  to  be  soldered, 
by  means  of  a  small  dip  ladle.  Then  acid, 
paste  or  stick  flux  is  applied,  and  the  solder 
again  applied.  This  makes  a  good  joint. 
The  solder  which  drops  from  the  joint  is 
caught  by  a  second  ladle,  or  In  the  solder 
pot.  In  some  cases,  when  possible,  the  piece 
is  dipped  in  the  pot,  the  flux  applied  and 
the  work  again  dipped.  It  is  important  in 
both  cases  to  give  the  piece  a  sharp  tap 
after  the  second  application,  to  knock  o£E 
any  surplus  solder.  Herman  Jonson. 

New  York  City. 


SOLDERS  AND  SOLDERING  ACIDS 


39 


Solder  for  Gold 

To  make  a  solder  for  gold  melt  together 
In  a  charcoal  fire  24  grains  gold,  9  grains 
pure  silver,  6  grains  copper,  3  grains  good 
brass ;  this  makes  a  solder  for  gold  ranging 
from  12  to  16  carats  fine.  For  finer  gold 
increase  the  proportions  of  gold  in  the  com- 
position. To  make  it  darker  in  color  lessen 
the  proportion  of  silver  and  increase  that 
of   copper.  .Joseph    M.    Stabel. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Solder  Preparation  for  Aluminum 

The  most  successful  solder  preparation 
for  soldering  aluminum  yet  secured  is  made 
up  in  the  following  manner  :  Melt  together 
64  parts,  by  weight,  of  tin,  30  parts  of 
zinc,  1  part  of  lead,  and  a  small  amount  of 
rosin.  All  parts,  of  course,  must  be  mixed 
together  very  thoroughly  while  in  molten 
condition.  When  thoroughly  mixed  the 
alloy  should  be  run  out  in  bars  of  desired 
sizes.  Clean  the  surfaces  thoroughly  and 
apply  the  solder.  No  chemical  is  required, 
the  rosin  used  being  sufficient  to  cause  ad- 
hesion, although  it  is  advisable  to  heat  the 
parts  to  be  soldered  gently  to  assist  in 
making  a  good  adhesion. 

OIney,  111.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 


Soldering  Witliout  Heat 
Take  1  ounce  of  ammoniac  and  1  ounce 
of  common  salt,  an  equal  quantity  of  cal- 
cined tartar,  and  3  ounces  of  antimony. 
Pound  this  well  together  and  sift.  Put 
this  in  a  piece  of  linen,  and  enclose  it  well 
around  with  fullers'  earth  about  an  inch 
thick.  let  it  dry,  then  put  it  in  one  crucible, 
covered  by  another  crucible  over  a  slow 
fire  to  get  hot  by  slow  degrees.  Keep  up 
the  fire  until  the  content  of  the  crucible 
gets  red-hot  and  melts.  Then  let  it  cool 
gradually,  and  when  cold  pound  the  mix- 
ture. When  you  wish  to  solder  anything 
put  the  two  pieces  you  want  to  Join  to- 
gether on  a  table  close  to  one  another. 
Make  a  crust  of  fullers'  earth,  so  that, 
passing  under  the  joint  and  holding  to  each 
piece  it  shall  be  open  at  the  top.  Then 
throw  some  of  the  powder  between  and  over 
the  joint.  Dissolve  some  borax  in  some 
hot  wine,  and  with  a  feather  dip  in  the 
solution  and  rub  the  powder  at  the  place 
of  the  joint.  It  will  immediately  boil  up. 
As  soon  as  the  boiling  stops  the  consolida- 
tion is  made.  The  calcined  tartar  is  made 
by  placing  crude  tartar  in  a  covered  cruci- 
ble and  raising  it  to  a  low  red  heat.  Allow 
It  to  cool  gradually.  Joseph  M.  Stabel. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Cold  Solder 

For  flux  use  1  part  metallic  sodium  to 
50  or  60  parts  of  mercury.  These  combine 
if  well  shaken  in  a  bottle.  For  solder  use 
a  weak  solution  of  copper  sulphate,  about  1 
ounce  sulphate  to  1  quart  of  water ;  pre- 
cipitate the  copper  by  rods  of  zinc,  wash 
the  precipitate  two  or  three  times  with  hot 
water,  drain  off  the  water  and  add  6  or  7 
ounces  of  mercury  for  every  3  ounces  of 
precipitate.  A  trifle  of  sulphuric  acid  will 
assist  in  the  combining  of  the  matter.  The 
combination  will  form  a  paste  which  sets 
very  hard  in  a  few  hours.     A.  L.  Monrad. 

New  Haven,  Conn. 


Soldering-  Acid  and  Solders 

I  have  seen  a  number  of  different  for- 
mulas for  soldering  acids  and  have  had 
occasion  to  try  several  of  them  with  more 
or  less  satisfaction.  Among  all  the  differ- 
ent ones  which  I  have  tried,  I  know  of 
but  one,  however,  that  actually  can  be  said 
to  fill  all  requirements. 

The  acid  is  composed  of :  Solution  chloride 
zinc,  1  ounce ;  glycerine,  1  ounce,  alcohol, 
7   ounces. 

As  far  as  the  solder  itself  i.s  concerned, 
one  can,  of  course,  make  compositions  of 
tin  and  lead  in  almost  any  proportions  to 
fill  the  requirements  in  general.  The  melt- 
ing point  of  these  different  compositions  will 
vary  greatly,  however,  according  to  the 
proportions  of  above  metals  in  same,  and, 
of  course,  this  is  an  important  factor  in 
many  instances,  especially  when  wanting  to 
solder  metals  which  have  a  low  melting 
temperature,  in  which  case  the  solder  ought 
to  be  a  composition  which  itself  will  melt 
at  a  very  low  temperature.  If  bismuth  is 
added  to  the  composition  the  melting  tem- 
perature will  almost  invariably  be  lowered. 
I  have  on  hand  a  fairly  complete  table  of 
compositions  for  solder,  giving  their  respec- 
tive melting  temperatures  and  the  raetala 
for  which  they  are  best  adapted  : 

Melting 
temp. 

Tin.  Lead.          Bismuth.      Deg.  Fahr. 

15.5  32.0  52.5  205 
20.0  26.0  54.0                 214 

20.6  26.8  52.6  217 
21.4  27.8  50.8  225 
24.8  22.1  53.1  237 
20.0  20.0  60.0  250 
15.0  25.0  60.0  257 
63.2  36.S  361 
60.0  40.0  372 
70.0  30.0  381 
50.0  50.0  415 
34.0  66.0  446 
30.0  70.0                 495 

A 


40 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Improved  Soldering'  Acid 

A  very  satisfactory  soldering  acid  may 
be  made  by  tlie  use  of  the  ordinary  solder- 
ing acid  for  the  base  and  introducing  a 
certain  proportion  of  chloride  of  tin  and 
sal-ammoniac.  This  gives  an  acid  which  is 
far  superior  to  the  old  form.  To  make 
one  gallon  of  this  soldering  fluid,  take 
three  quarts  of  common  muriatic  acid  and 
dissolve  as  much  zinc  as  possible  in  it. 
This,  as  is  well  known,  is  the  common 
form  of  acid  used  in  soldering.  Next  dis- 
solve 6  ounces  of  sal-ammoniac  in  a  pint 
of  warm  water.  In  another  pint  dissolve 
4  ounces  of  chloride  of  tin.  The  three 
solutions  should  then  be  mixed  together. 
After  mixing,  the  solution  may  appear 
cloudy,  and  can  be  cleared  up  by  a  few 
drops  of  muriatic  acid,  care  being  taken 
not  to  add  too  much.  The  acid  is  used  in 
the  same  manner  as  any  ordinary  solder- 
ing fluid.  It  will  be  found  that  it  will  not 
spatter  when  the  hot  iron  is  applied,  and 
also  that  a  cheaper  grade  of  solder  may 
be  used  with  it,  if  necessary. 

Urbana.  III.  T.  B.  O'Donnell. 


To   Solder  Aluminum 

The  great  disadvantage  of  aluminiiin  to 
the  sheet  metal  worker  is  the  difficulty  en- 
countered in  soldering.  This  is  caused  by 
the  formation  of  an  oxide  on  the  surface 
of  the  heated  metal,  the  oxide  preventing 
the  solder  from  alloying  with  the  aluminum. 
This  difficulty  can  be  surmounted  by  em- 
ploying   the    following    method  : 

Make  a  solder  of  80  per  cent  tin  and 
20  per  cent  zinc,  and  use  stearic  acid 
as  a  flux.  Tin  the  surface  with  the  above, 
moving  the  copper  bit  backward  and  for- 
ward over  the  metal  and  flowing  the  solder. 
The  film  of  oxide  can  then  be  cleaned  off, 
and  the  coated  surface  can  be  easily  sol- 
dered with  the  above-named  sokhn-  oi' 
ordinary  tinsmiths'  solder.  A.  Eyles. 

Manchester,    Eng. 


Crold    Solders 

Gold  solder  .suitable  for  IS-karat  work  : 
Gold,  fine,  1  ounce  ;  silver,  fine,  144  grains  : 
copper  wire,  96  grains.      (Troy  weight.) 

Suitable  for  16-karat  work:  Pine  gold. 
1  ounce ;  fine  silver,  144  grains ;  copper 
wire,  IGS  grains. 

Suitable  for  15-karat  work:  Fine  gold. 
1  ounce ;  fine  silver,  240  grains ;  copper 
wire,  240  grains. 


Suitable  for  14-karat  work :  Fine  gold, 
1  ounce,  fine  silver,  300  grains ;  copper 
wire,  300  grains. 

Hardest  silver  solder :  Fine  silver,  1 
ounce;  shot  copper,  120  grains. 

Best  hard  silver  solder :  Fine  silver,  1 
ounce ;  shot  copper,  105  grains ;  spelter,  15 
grains. 

Medium  silver  solder :  Pine  silver,  360 
grains ;  shot  copper,  96  grains ;  spelter,  24 
grains. 

Easy  silver  solder :  Fine  silver,  336 
grains  ;  shot  copper,  108  grains  ;  spelter,  36 
grains.  ^^    ^    ^nxj  k'wj  t^ 

Syracuse,  N.   Y. 


H.    D.    SCHATTLE. 


Soldering  Paste 

By  the  requirements  of  the  electrical 
trade,  in  certain  cases  no  acid  soldering 
flux  can  be  used.  A  flux  that  can  be  used 
on  any  kind  of  work  is  known  as  a  solder- 
ing paste.  For  soldering  copper  wires  and 
other  electrical  conductors  the  paste  is  un- 
equaled,  and  is  particularly  adapted  for 
work  in  which  spattering  and  corrosion  are 
objectionable.  The  mixture  for  soldering 
paste  consists  of  certain  proportions  of 
grease  and  chloride  of  zinc.  The  grease 
commonly  used  is  petrolatum  or  vaseline, 
which  will  give  the  paste  the  proper  con- 
sistency. The  proportions  used  are  pe- 
trolatum or  vaseline,  1  pound,  and  1  fluid 
ounce  saturated  solution  chloride  of  zinc. 

Urbana,  111.  T.  E.  O'Donnell. 


Non-corrosive  Soldering-  riuid 

An  economical  non-corrosive  soldering 
fluid  is  the  following :  Put  any  quantity 
of  chloride  of  zinc  in  a  bottle,  fill  it  up 
with  alcohol,  and  allow  it  to  stand  at  least 
48  hours,  then  carefully  pour  off  the  alco- 
hol, mix  it  with  an  equal  quantity  of  glycer 
ine  and  shake.  The  zinc  remaining  in  the 
bottle  can  be  used  until  there  is  nothing 
left  of  it,  since  the  alcohol  which  is  poured 
off  after  48  hours  contains  all  the  chloride 
of  zinc  which  is  necessary  for  good  solder- 
ing. 

New  York.  Herman  Jonson. 


Silver  Solder  for  Brazing 

Much  difficulty  arises  in  the  use  of  braz- 
ing solder.  The  best  alloy  to  use  in  braz- 
ing is  the  common  silver  solder.  It  has 
the  advantages  of  a  low  melting  point  and 
toughness,   which   are  not   found    to  such   a 


ALLOYS  AND  LUBRICANTS 


41 


high  degree  in  common  brazing  brasses 
composed  of  copper  and  zinc.  The  melting 
point  of  silver  being  lower  than  that  of 
copper,  and  as  it  does  not  oxidize  when 
heated,  it  is  admirably  adapted  for  use  In 
brazing  solder.     The  proper  mixture  for  the 


solder  consists  of  two  parts  fine  sliver 
filings  and  one  part  fine  brass,  which  lat- 
ter consists  of  2  parts  copper  and  1  part 
zinc.  T.   E.   O'DONXELL. 

Urbana,    III. 


MISCELLANEOUS  ALLOYS 


Alloy  for   Caliper  and  Gag-e  Rod 
Casting's 

A  mixture  of  30  parts  zinc  to  70  parts 
aluminum  gives  a  light  and  durable  alloy 
for  gage  rods  and  caliper  legs.  The  gage 
rods  must  be  steel  tipped  for  the  alloy  is 
soft  and  wears  away  too  rapidly  for  gage 
points.  James   A.  Pratt. 

Howard,  R.  I. 


Alloy  for  Pattern  Ijetters  and  Fig-ures 

.\  good  alloy  for  casting  pattern  letters 
and  figures  and  similar  small  parts  in 
brass,  iron  or  plaster  molds  is  made  of 
lead,  80  parts,  and  antimony,  20  parts.  A 
better  alloy  would  be  lead,  70  parts:  anti- 
mony and  bismuth,  each  1.5  parts.  To  in- 
sure perfect  work  the  molds  should  be 
quite  hot  by  placing  them  over  a  Bunsen 
burner.  The  writer  has  had  thousands  of 
pattern  letters  and  figures  made  In  this 
manner.  Oscar  E.  Perrigo. 

Neponset,   Mass. 


Anti-friction   Metal 

An  anti-friction  metal  of  most  excellent 
quality  and  one  that  I  have  used  with  suc- 
cess for  a  bearing  on  an  Internal  grinding 
shaft,  which  was  5-16  inch  diameter,  7 
inches  long,  and  5  Inches  In  the  bearing, 
and  run  at  a  speed  of  36,000  R.  P.  M.  is 
made  as  follows :  17  parts  zinc,  1  part 
copper,  114  part  antimony;  prepared  in  the 
following  way  :  Melt  the  copper  in  a  small 
crucible,  then  add  the  antimony  and  lastly 
the  zinc,  care  being  taken  not  to  burn  the 
zinc.  Burning  can  be  prevented  by  allowing 
the  copper  and  antimony  to  cool  slightly 
before  adding  the  zinc.  This  metal  is  pre- 
ferably cast  Into  the  shape  desired  and  Is 
not  used  as  a  lining  metal  because  it  re- 
quires too  great  a  heat  to  pour.  It  ma- 
chines nicely  and  takes  a  fine  polish  on 
hearing  surfaces.  It  has  the  appearance  of 
aluminum  when  finished.  Use  a  lubricating 
oil  made  from  any  good  grade  of  machine 
oil  to  which  3  parts  of  kerosene  have  been 
added.  Herrmann  G.  Kroeger. 

Louisville,  Ky. 


LUBRICANTS  FOR  BEARINGS,   ETC. 


Iiubricant  for  Xiathe  Centers 

An  excellent  lubricant  for  lathe  centers 
is  made  by  using  1  part  graphite  and  4 
parts  tallow  thoroughly  mixed. 

Rock   Falls,   III.  E.   C.   Noble. 


Preparing-  Pine  Oil  for  Delicate 
Machinery 

Put  small  zinc  and  lead  shavings  In  equal 
quantities  Into  best  olive  oil,  and  place  the 
oil  in  a  cool  place  until  It  becomes  color- 
less. This  oil  is  the  best  obtainable  for 
fine   mechanisms.  O.   G. 


Self-lubricating'   Bearing's 

In    hard    gun-metal    bushes,    bore    a    good 
fit   to   shaft   and    split,   drill    four  holes  per 

inch  diam- 
The  holes  are  to  be 
flat  at  the  bottom  and  to  be  spaced  zigzag, 
so  that  one  row  of  holes  is  between  the 
holes   In    the   opposite   side,    thus  :      .  •  .  •  . 


Fill  the  holes  with  a  compound  prepared  as 
follows :  Melt  1  pound  solid  parafflne  and 
add  2  ounces  of  litharge,  dissolved  isinglass 
and  sulphur ;  add  further  2  pounds  of  fine 
plumbago   and   mix   thoroughly, 

Toronto,    Can.  J.    H.    Holdswoeth. 


IiUbricant   for  Hig-h-speed  Bearing's 

To  prevent  heating  and  sticking  of  bear- 
ings on  heavy  machine  tools  due  to  running 
continuously  at  high  speeds,  fill  an  oil  can 
with  a  good  spring  bottom  (the  "Gem"  oiler 
preferred)  about  one-eighth  full  of  Dixon's 
flake  graphite,  and  the  remainder  with 
kerosene  oil.  As  soon  as  the  bearing  shows 
the  slightest  Indication  of  heating  or  stick- 
ing, this  mixture  should  be  forcibly  squirted 
through  the  oil  hole  until  it  flows  out  be- 
tween the  shaft  and  bearing,  when  a  small 
quantity  of  thin  machine  oil  may  be  ap- 
plied. H.    J.   Bachmann. 

New  York. 


42 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Iiubricatingr  Oil  for  Heavy  Duty  and 
Fast  Bunning  Journals 

An  excellent  lubricating  oil  for  heavy 
duty  and  fast  running  Journals  may  be 
made  by  mixing  equal  parts  of  sperm  oil, 
cylinder  oil  and  "black  strap"  or  common 
machine  oil.  A.  D.  Knadel. 

Moline,  111. 


Cooling  Compound  for  Necks  of  Rolls 
and  Shafts 

Dissolve  2V4  pounds  of  lead  acetate  in 
14  pounds  hot  tallow  and  add  2^4  pounds 
black  antimony.  Stir  the  ingredients  con- 
stantly until  cold.  W.  R.  Bowers. 

Birmingham,  England. 


Oil  for  Use  on  Micrometer  Screws 

To  prepare  oil  for  micrometers,  fine 
mechanisms,  etc.,  take  neatsfoot  oil  and  put 
into  it  some  lead  shavings  in  order  to  neu- 
tralize the  acid  contained  in  the  oil ;  let 
this  stand  for  a  considerable  time,  the 
longer  the  better.  Oil  thus  prepared  never 
corrodes  or  thickens.      Joseph  M.  Stabel. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 


I^ubricant  for  Iiatlie  Centers 

I  have  tried  many  different  kinds  of 
lubricants  for  lathe  centers  and  as  yet  I 
have  found  nothing  equal  to  white  lead 
mixed  with  sperm  oil,  with  enough  graph- 
ite added  to  give  it  a  dark  lead  color.  It 
can  be  mixed  and  kept  in  small  tin  boxes ; 
add  oil  when  necessary  to  keep  it  from 
getting  too  thick.  S.  C.  S. 


A  Grease  for  Gear  Wheels 

A  good  grease  for  gear  wheels  where  Iron 
meshes  into  iron  can  be  made  of  1  part  of 
graphite,  and  4  parts  of  tallow  mixed  with 
some    oil.      For    steel    gears    meshing    into 


wood   1   part  of  graphite,   2  parts   of  bees- 
wax and   1^   to  1  part  of  tallow  will  form 
a  very  good  and  lasting  grease  for  same. 
Cleveland,  O.  Max  J.  Oches. 


Iiuhricant  for  the  V's  of  Iiarge  Planers 
When  very  heavy  work  is  to  be  done  on 
a  planer  it  may  happen  that  the  oil  or 
other  lubricant  used  on  the  ways  of  the 
planer  does  not  possess  suflicient  "body" 
to  resist  the  pressure,  and  the  wearing 
surface  will  be  cut  or  badly  "roughed  up." 
The  writer  had  a  case  wherein  the  planer 
table  weighed  eleven  tons  and  the  load  to 
be  put  upon  It  thirteen  tons,  making 
twenty-four  tons  In  all.  The  bearing  sur- 
faces of  the  V's  appeared  very  narrow  to 
sucessfully  support  such  a  weight.  To 
avoid  cutting,  the  surfaces  were  lubricated 
with  a  mixture  of  one  gallon  of  "Vacuum" 
cylinder  oil  and  one  pound  of  Dixon's  flake 
graphite.  The  planing  job  was  easily  and 
successfully  done  with  no  Injury  to  the 
wearing   surfaces.  Oscar   E.   Perriqo. 

Neponset,   Mass. 


White  Iiead  and  Tallow  of  Even  Con- 
sistency at  All  Temperatures 
In  order  to  keep  white  lead  and  tallow 
soft  in  winter  and  summer  alike,  so  that 
it  can  be  applied  with  a  brush  to  finished 
parts  of  machinery  before  shipping  them, 
and  for  use  in  fitting  keys,  etc..  prepare  a 
mixture  composed  of  five  pounds  of  white 
lead  and  fifteen  pounds  of  tallow.  Heat 
this  in  a  suitable  receptacle,  and  stir  until 
the  Ingredients  are  thoroughly  mixed. 
Then  remove  the  mixture  to  a  cool  place, 
and  add  two  quarts  of  linseed  oil,  con- 
tinuing to  stir  the  composition  ilntil  It 
becomes  cold,  as  otherwise  the  white  lead 
will  settle  at  the  bottom.  This  mixture 
will  always  remain  of  the  same  consistency 
at  all  temperatures.  R.   S.   F. 


LUBRICANTS  FOR  MACHINING  OR  ^WORKING  METALS 


Tapping  Holes  in  Cast  Iron 
Kerosene  oil  used  as  a  lubricant  for  tap- 
ping  holes   In    cast   iron   Is   the    best   lubri- 
cant known  to  the  writer.       Wm.  Davis. 
Philadelphia.  Pa. 


To  Turn  Very  Hard  Iron  and  Steel 
Use    a    drip    can    for    the    tool    with    the 
following    solution :    petroleum,    2    gallons ; 
turpentine,  1  gallon,  and  2  ounces  of  cam- 
Pbor.  J.    H.   Holds  WORTH. 

Toronto,    Canada. 


To  Turn  Aluminum 

To  produce  a  smooth  surface  when  turn- 
ing aluminum  use  kerosene  oil  for  a  lubri- 
cant. If  turning  in  a  turret  lathe  pro- 
vided with  an  oil  pump,  mix  the  kerosene 
oil  with  lard  oil,  1  part  of  lard  oil  to  3 
parts  of  kerosene,  as  kerosene  itself  is  too 
thin  to  be  fed  through  the  ordinary  oil 
pump  without  being  mixed  with  a  more 
heavy  flowing  fluid.  Kerosene  oil  Is  also 
the  best  lubricant  for  use  In  boring,  thread- 
ing and  reaming  aluminum. 

East  Hartford,  Conn.     John  C.  Monrad. 


LUBRICANTS 


43 


To  Drill  Hard  Steel 

To  drill  hardened  steel  make  an  old-fash- 
ioned flat  drill  and  temper  as  hard  as  It 
will  stand.  Use  camphor  and  turpentine 
in  place  of  oil.  I  have  drilled  steel  in  this 
manner  which  I  could  not  drill  in  any 
other  way.  G.  E.  Hetzleu. 

Dayton,  O. 


A  lubricant  for  Cutting:  Threads 
After  trying  various  kinds  of  lubricants 
In  cutting  threads  on  tool  steel,  machine 
steel,  etc.,  I  found  that  common  lard  (not 
lard  oil)  mixed  with  about  one-third  tur- 
pentine gave  the  best  results.  The  mixture 
may  be  applied  with  a  small  brush. 
Paterson,  N.  J.  Stephen   Courter. 


Drilling:  Compound 

A  good  drilling  compound  is  made  by  add- 
ing 1  pound  common  soda  to  4  quarts 
water,  and  1  pint  machine  oil.  Let  stand 
for  about  one  hour  and  it  will  be  ready  for 
use.  This  will  not  rust  the  machines  and 
is  clean  to  work  with. 

Winnetka,    111.  Frank   Pavlik,   Jr. 


lubricant   for   Cutting:   Aluminum 

A  good  lubricant  for  cutting  alumi- 
num in  the  lathe  is  kerosene  oil.  It  will 
permit  a  better  finish,  and  will  materially 
reduce  the  liability  of  tearing  the  surface 
by  the  cutting  tool.  Skegor. 


lubricant   for   Aluminum   Cutting 

The  following  mixture  makes  the  best 
lubricant  for  turning,  or  any  other  machin- 
ing operation  on  aluminum,  that  I  have 
ever  tried  :  Mix  1  part  good  lard  oil  with 
4  parts  of  kerosene  oil. 

A.  A.  Stevenson. 


Iiubricant  for  Fitting  Aluminum 
Threads 

When  screwing  an  aluminum  article  on- 
to an  iron  or  steel  part,  much  trouble  Is 
often  experienced  by  the  breaking  and  tear- 
ing of  the  threads  of  the  softer  metal. 
This  can  be  prevented  by  lubricating  the 
screw  well  with  a  mixture  of  oil  and 
graphite.  Sregor. 


lubricating:  ISizture  for  Cutting  Tools 

The  proportion  of  ingredients  of  a  lubri- 
cating mixture  for  cutting  tools  is  G  gal- 
lons of  water,  3%  pounds  of  soft  soap, 
and  1/2  gallon  of  clean  refuse  oil.  Heat  the 
water  and  mix  with  the  soap,  preferably 
in  a  mechanical  mixer ;  afterward  add 
the  oil.  A  cast  Iron  circular  tank  to  hold 
12  gallons,  fitted  with  a  tap  at  the  bottom 
and  having  three  revolving  arms  fitted  to 
a  vertical  shaft  driven  by  bevels  and  a  fast, 
loose  pulley,  answers  all  that  is  required 
for  a  mixer.  This  should  be  kept  running 
all  through  the  working  day. 

Manchester,  Eng.  H.   T.   Millar. 


lubricant  for  Turning  Copper 

A  solution  of  sal-soda  mixed  with  lard 
oil  Is  a  lubricant  I  have  seen  used  on 
copper  in  turret  lathe  work  with  good 
results.  S.  H.  Sweet. 

Bridgeport,    Conn. 


Solution  for  Drilling  Hard  Steel 

A  mixture  which  will  permit  hard  steel 
or  Iron  to  be  drilled  with  ordinary  drills 
is  made  by  using  1  part  spirits  of  camphor 
and  4  parts  turpentine.  Mix  well  and  ap- 
ply cold,  letting  It  remain  a  few  minutes 
before  applying  the  drill.  Run  the  drill 
slowly  with  fine  feed.  C.  E.  Mink. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 


lubricant  for  Turning  Copper 

Gasoline  is  an  excellent  lubricant.  In  our 
shop  we  have  used  it  as  a  lubricant  for 
cutting  copper  with  very  good  results. 

Rockford,  111.  George  C.  Nash. 


lubricant  for  Pipe  Screw  Threads 

The  best  "dope,"  so-called  in  shop  par- 
lance, that  I  have  ever  seen  used  for  mak- 
ing pipe  connections,  is  composed  of  1  pint 
of  "black  strap"  machine  oil,  %  pint 
graphite,  Vi  pint  of  white  lead,  and  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  flour  emery.  These  proportions 
are  not  exact,  but  they  are  substantially 
what  are  used.  The  object  of  the  flour 
emery  Is  to  polish  the  threads  as  they  are 
being  screwed  together.  The  graphite, 
white  lead  and  oil  make  a  fine  lubricating 
mixture,  which  has  enough  consistency  to 
stop  Incipient  leaks.  I  have  seen  many 
large  pipe  radiators  made  up  using  this 
mixture,  and  they  never  leaked  a  drop  when 
the  steam  was  turned  on.     M.  E.  Canek. 

Altay,   N.  Y. 


44 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Iiutoricants   for   Use    in    Cutting'   Bolts 
and  Tapping"  Nuts 

Mineral  oils  should  never  be  used  in 
thread  cutting  and  tapping,  as  they  do  not 
generally  flow  freely  enough.  An  excellent 
solution  for  this  purpose  can  be  prepared 
by  dissolving  1%  pound  of  sal-soda  in  3 
gallons  of  warm  water,  then  adding  1  gal- 
lon of  pure  lard  oil.  This  is  known  as  a 
soda  solution.  Pure  lard  oil  is  the  best 
for  fine,   true  work.        T.   E.  O'Doxxell. 

Urbana,   111; 


Turning'  Copper 

Those  who  have  had  to  turn  copper  in 
the  lathe  have  generally  wished  they  had 
let  someone  else  do  the  work,  and  that  they 
could  stand  by  and  jeer  when  it  was  being 
performed,  or  else  criticise  it  after  it  was 
done.  Soap  and  water  do  not  help ;  tur- 
pentine is  a  delusion  and  a  snare ;  but 
milk  does  the  trick  "with  neatness  and  dis- 
patch." Robert  Grimshaw. 

Hanover,  Germany. 


Iiuliricatingr  Mixture  for  Cutting  Thread 
in  Tool  Steel 

To  make  a  good  lubricating  mixture  for 
cutting  thread  in  hard  tool  steel,  use  equal 
parts  of  turpentine  and  benzine  or  kero- 
sene. For  cutting  in  soft  tool  steel  mix 
equal  parts  of  kerosene  and  lard  oil.  These 
mixtures  always  flow  even  and  keep  just 
about  enough  moisture  at  the  cutting  point. 

Kearney,  N.  J.  Everett  Kxeex. 


Iiubricants  for  Redrawing  Shells 

Zinc  shells  should  be  clean  and  free  from 
all  grit  and  should  be  immersed  in  boiling 
hot  soap  water.  They  must  be  redrawn 
while  hot  to  get  the  best  results.  On  some 
shells  hot  oil  is  sometimes  used  in  prefer- 
ence to  soap  water. 

For  redrawing  aluminum  shells  use  a 
cheap  grade  of  vaseline.  It  may  not  be 
amiss  to  add  that  the  draw  part  of  the  re- 
drawing die  should  not  be  made  too  long,  so 
as  to  prevent  "too  much  friction,"  which 
causes  the  shells   to  split  and  shrivel  up. 

For  redrawing  copper  shells  use  good 
thick  soap  water  as  a  lubricant.  The  soap 
used  should  be  of  a  kind  that  will  produce 
plenty  of  "slip"  ;  if  none  such  is  to  be  had, 
mix  a  quantity  of  lard  oil  with  the  soap 
water  on  hand  and  boil  the  two  together. 
Sprinkling  graphite  over  the  shells  just  be- 
fore redrawing  sometimes  helps  out  on  a 
mean  job.  C.  F.  Emerson. 


Lubricating  Soap  for  Wire  Drawing, 
Screw  Cutting"  and  Working*  Metals 
Put    20    pounds    of    pure    caustic    potash 
into   an   iron  or  earthen  vessel  with   2   gal- 
lons   of    water.     The    potash    will    dissolve 
very   quickly    by   heating    the   water.      Heat 
914   gallons  of  oil  to  about  140  degrees  F., 
which    is    most    easily    done    by    bringing    a 
small  portion  of  the  oil  to  the  boiling  point 
and  adding  this  to  the  remainder.     Pour  the 
caustic  potash   lye   into   the   oil   in   a   small 
stream,  stirring  steadily  with  a  wooden  pad- 
dle until   the  oil  and  lye  appear  well  com- 
bined  and  smooth,   which   will   take   only   a 
few   minutes.      Put  the   mixture  in  a  warm 
place,  covering  the  vessel  well  with  blankets 
or    woolen    rugs    to    keep    the    hea,t    caused 
by  the  mixture  combining  and  turning  into 
soap.     This  wrapping  is  very  important,  the 
object   being   to   keep   the   temperature   uni- 
from  until  saponification  is  completed.     The 
mixing    may    be    done    in    a    wooden    vessel, 
half    an    oil    barrel    answering    very    well. 
After  three  or  four  days  the  soap  is  formed 
and   may   be   used,    though   it   is   better,   in 
order  to  insure  perfect  saponification  of  all 
the   oil,  to  stir  it  up   well  again   and  leave 
standing,  still  well  covered,  for  a  few  days 
longer.     In  this  way  the  finest  possible  soap 
for   lubricating   purposes  is   made.      It   is   a 
real    potash   soap    made    pure   for   use,   not 
made    cheap    for    sale    by    the    addition    of 
water  and  Impurities,  and,  moreover,  cannot 
be    excelled    for    cleaning    or    washing    pur- 
poses,  especially  for   washing   flannels,  and 
will  never  cause  sore  hands. 

Use  a  first-class  pale  seal  oil  for  soft 
soap  for  wire  drawing,  though  a  good,  re- 
fined cotton-seed  oil  may  be  used  for  general 
purposes.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
the  caustic  potash  be  unadulterated,  for  the 
principle  of  this  cold  process  of  making 
soap  depends  on  the  use  of  strong,  pure 
lye  of  caustic  potash. 

The  best  way  of  making  the  suds  with 
this  soap  is  as  follows:  Put  G  pounds  of 
the  soap  into  a  vessel  with  2  gallons  of 
hot  steam  water,  heat  to  thoroughly  dis- 
solve the  soap,  stirring  well,  then  add  G 
more  gallons  of  water  and  lastly  3  gallons 
of  oil,  which  should  be  thoroughly  stirred 
into  the  soap  and  water,  so  that  on  stand- 
ing over-night  the  oil  will  not  separate. 
This  will  be  found  to  give  very  good  re- 
sults. 

The  cost  of  this  soap  depends  on  the 
quality  of  the  oil  and  whether  wholesale  or 
retail  prices  are  paid.  Even  at  the  latter 
it  will  not  exceed  7  cents  per  pound.  With 
cotton-seed  oil  and  wholesale  prices  It  can 
be  made  for  about  5  cents  a  pound. 

Milwaukee,  Wis.  A.  F.  Bierbach. 


BELT  AND  ROPE  DRESSINGS 


45 


Iiubricaut  for  Brawiugf  Dies 
The  following  mixture  has  given  very 
good  results  as  a  lubricant  on  drawing  dies 
when  drawing  sheet  metal :  Boil  together 
until  thoroughly  mixed,  1  pound  of  white 
lead,  1  quart  of  fish  oil,  1  pint  of  water, 
and  o  ounces  of  black  lead.  Apply  to  the 
sheet  metal  with  a  brush  before  it  enters 
the  dies.  Jos.  M.  Stabel. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Lubricant  for  Drilling-  Copper 

The  best  thing  in   my   opinion  to  use  for 
drilling  copper,  especially  with  small  drills, 


is  a  piece  of  tallow.  I  have  noticed  a 
great  number  of  receipts  given,  but  I  find 
that  this  simple  means  answers  the  purpose 
equally  well  or  better  than  anything  else. 
Marquette,  Mich.  Geo.  W.  S.mith. 


Lubricant  for  Small  Oilstones 

As  a  lubricant  for  honing  out  dies  or  other 
work  with  an  oilstone,  kerosene  oil  gives 
the  best  results  as  it  not  only  enables  the 
stone  to  take  hold,  but  keeps  it  clean  and 
prevents  it  from  filling  up. 

C.  P.  Emerson. 


BELT  AND  ROPE   DRESSINGS 


Belt  Dressing- 

I  have  found  the  following  mixture  to 
answer  the  purpose  of  a  good  belt  dressing 
as  well  as  an  excellent  anti-slip  medium 
for  hard-worked  leather  driving  belts : 
Russian  tallow,  1  ounce ;  best  lard  oil,  2 
ounces ;  Venice  turpentine,  16  ounces.  This 
dressing  is  good  to  use  on  the  belts  of  belt- 
driven  motor  cycles.  W.  R.  Bowers. 

Birmingham,    Eng. 


Transmission   Kope   Dressing 

A  good  transmission  rope  dressing  Is 
made  by  melting  together  450  pounds  of 
tallow.  3.3  pounds  rosin,  150  pounds  bees- 
wax. 20  pounds  pine  tar,  14  pounds  lamp- 
black, and  15  pounds  tobacco  tin-foil. 
Pour  the  mixture  in  molds  to  make  stock 
2%  inches  in  diameter,  and  11  inches  long, 
weighing  about  3  pounds  each.  Use  one 
for  about  400   feet   of  one-inch   rope. 

New  York.  Herman  Jonson. 


"Wire  Rope  Grease 

A  mixture  of  %  oil  and  i^  colophony 
(rosin),  will  be  found  to  be  a  very  good 
lubricant  for  wire  ropes  such  as  used  on 
power  transmitting  and  conveying  machin- 
ery, if  applied  warm.  Boiled  linseed  oil 
also  answers  the  same  purpose  when  high 
speed  is  required.  Max  J.  Oches. 

Cleveland.   O.       

Belt  Dressing 

A  great  many  people  think  they  know 
how  to  make  a  good  belt  dressing.  This 
accounts  for  the  many  poor  ones  in  the 
market.  Here  is  one  that  will  do  about 
all  the  good  that  any  of  them  will  and 
none  of  the  harm  to  the  structure  of  the 
belt.  Melt  a  pound  of  beeswax  in  a  gallon 
of  neatsfoot  oil  by  a  gentle  heat.  The 
most  convenient  way  to  secure  a  good  mix- 
ture is  to  melt  the  beeswax  first,  then  add 
the  oil  slowly,  stirring  it  constantly  until 
it  is  thoroughly  mixed. 

Neponset,   Mass.  Oscar   E.   Perrigo. 


FIRE  AND  'WATERPROOFING  RECEIPTS 


Fireprooflng-  Solution  for  Toolmakers' 
Aprons,  Btc. 

Toolmakers'  aprons,  factory  shades  and 
other  inflammable  materials  may  be  ren- 
dered absolutely  fireproof  by  being  treated 
with  the  following  solution  :  To  1/2  pound 
tungstate  of  soda  add  2  quarts  of  water, 
or  enough  to  entirely  dissolve  it,  and  bottle 
up  tightly.  This  stock  solution  is  to  be 
added  to  sufficient  water  required  to  soak 
the  article  in  the  proportion  of  one-fifth 
the  above  solution  to  the  required  water. 
After  being  soaked,  hang  the  article  up  to 
dry.  Fireproofing  factory  shades  at  win- 
dows near  gas  jets  or  the  cloth  aprons 
worn   when  working  over  a   fire   in   harden- 


ing   and    tempering    tools,    etc.,    will    often 
save  bad  fires  or  serious  accidents. 

E.     W.     NORTO.N. 


To  "Waterproof  Leather 

To  waterproof  leather  and  leave  it  soft 
and  pliable,  apply  a  mixture  of  4  parts 
castor  oil  and  1  part  raw  India  rubber,  by 
weight.  Heat  the  oil  to  250  degrees  F., 
then  add  the  rubber,  cut  into  small  pieces. 
Gradually  stir  until  the  rubber  is  com- 
pletely dissolved  and  thru  pour  into  a  suit- 
able vessel  and  lot  cool.  If  used  on  dark 
leather  add  sufficient  printer's  ink  to  give 
the  dark  color.  E.  W.  Norton. 


46 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To  Waterproof  Cloth  Tool  Bagrs  or 
Cases 

To  waterproof  tool  bags  or  cases  made 
of  duck  or  other  cloth,  either  of  the  follow- 
ing formulas   may   be   used : 

Use  %  pound  of  alum  and  2  ounces  of 
saltpeter  dissolved  in  1  quart  of  water. 
Immerse  the  article  to  be  waterproofed  in 
this  mixture  for  40  minutes,  and  boil  hard ; 
then  rinse  in  cold  hard  water,  hang  up  and 
let  dry  thoroughly  before  using. 

Melt  %   pound  of  parafflne  wax  and  mix 
In  1  quart  of  gasoline.     Immerse  the  article 
In    this  and  wring  out   and   spread   out   to 
dry.     In  a  short  time  it  Is  ready  to  use. 
E.  W.   Norton. 

To  Pireproof  Wood,  in  Forge  Shops 
To  protect  the  woodwork  around  or  near 


a  forge  apply  three  coats  of  3  parts  alum 
and  1  part  copperas,  dissolved  in  water. 
Apply  hot,  and  only  allow  sufficient  time 
between  applications  for  the  preparation  to 
saturate  the  wood.  Follow  this  with  a 
fourth  coat  composed  of  solution  of  cop- 
peras made  to  the  consistency  of  paint  by 
mixing  with  fireclay.  This  treatment  will 
not  only  render  the  wood  fireproof  but  will 
preserve  it  for  many  times  its  ordinary  life. 

Another  fireproofing  mixture  for  the 
same  purpose  is  composed  of  3  parts  ground 
wood  ashes  and  1  part  boiled  linseed  oil. 
This  is  applied  with  a  brush. 

Still  another  fireproofing  treatment  con- 
sists of  three  applications  of  a  hot  solution 
of  phosphate  of  ammonia.  The  last  two 
treatments  require  renewing  at  least  once  a 
year.  E.  W.  Norton. 


CLAYS  AND  CLAY  SUBSTITUTES 


Mixture  for  Fire  Cement 

To  make  a  fire  cement  use  100  parts  fire 
clay,  wet ;  3  parts  black  oxide  manganese ; 
3  parts  white  sand ;  and  V^  part  powdered 
asbestos.  Thoroughly  mix,  adding  sufficient 
water   to  make  a   smooth   mortar. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y.  C.  E.  Mink. 


Emergency  Bepairs  of  Boiler  Furnace 

When  it  is  necessary  to  repair  the  boiler 
furnace  and  fire  brick  cannot  be  obtained, 
take  common  earth,  mix  with  water  in 
which  has  been  dissolved  a  small  amount 
of  common  salt.  Use  this  mixture  the 
same  as  fire  clay.  It  will  be  found  to  last 
almost  as  long.  R.  E.  Verse. 


Fire  Clay  Mixture 

A  fire  clay  mixture  that  will  stand  a  high 
temperature  without  cracking  or  checking 
is  mixed  as  follows :  45  per  cent  crushed 
fire  brick,  50  per  cent  fire  clay,  and  5  per 
cent  clean,  sharp  sand.  This  is  to  be  mois- 
tened and  mixed  to  a  heavy  paste,  tamped 
into  the  shape  required  and   burned  dry. 

Denver,  Col.  E.  W.  Bowen. 


Mortar  for  Stopping*  Holes  in  Boiler 
Settings,  Etc. 

I  have  successfully  used  the  following 
simple  mortar  for  stopping  leaks  in  chim- 
neys, etc. :  Mix  hardwood  ashes,  3  quarts ; 
chimney  soot,  1  quart ;  common  salt,  1 
quart ;   and  sufficient  water  to  make  a  stiff 


mortar.  Apply  at  once  as  it  hardens 
quickly.  It  is  good  for  stopping  cracks  in 
boiler  settings  and  other  brickwork  struc- 
tures where  not  exposed  to  very  high  tem- 
peratures. Although  of  an  improvised  and 
primitive  nature  it  answers  the  purpose 
very  well,  and  has  the  merit  of  being  made 
of  materials  available  almost  everywhere. 
It  Is  a  very  old  receipt ;  in  various  propor- 
tions it  was  used  by  our  forefathers  years 
ago.  F.  Emerson. 

Newark,  N.  J. 


Claying-  Mixture  for  Forges 
Running  as  we  do  about  twenty-four 
fires  in  our  smith  shop,  we  have  experienced 
some  little  difficulty  in  securing  a  satisfac- 
tory claying  mixture  with  which  to  clay 
the  forges.  This  difficulty  arises,  in  part, 
from  the  fact  that  the  forges  are  used  by 
inexperienced  individuals.  After  repeated 
trials  with  various  mixtures  recommended, 
we  experimented  until  we  finally  hit  upon 
the  eminently  satisfactory  one  given  in  the 
following :  20  parts  fire  clay ;  20  parts 
cast  iron  turnings ;  1  part  common  salt ; 
V2  part  sal-ammoniac ;  all  by  measure. 

The  materials  should  be  thoroughly 
mixed  dry  and  then  wet  down  to  the  con- 
sistency of  common  mortar,  constantly  stir- 
ring the  mass  as  the  wetting  proceeds.  A 
rough  mold  shaped  to  fit  the  tuyere  open- 
ing, a  trowel  and  a  few  minutes'  time 
are  all  that  are  needed  to  complete  the 
successful  claying  of  the  forge.  This  mix- 
ture dries  hard  and  when  glazed  by  the 
fire  will  outlast  anything  ever  tried. 
St.    Louis,    Mo.        Stanley    H.    Moore. 


VARNISHES 


47 


VARNISHES 


Varnish  for  Steel 

A  good  varnish  for  steel  may  be  made  by 
dissolving  10  parts  of  clear  grains  of  mas- 
tic, 5  parts  of  camphor,  15  parts  of  san- 
darac,  and  5  parts  of  elemi  in  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  grain  alcohol.  Apply  the 
varnish  without  heat.         Jos.  M.  Stabel. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Varnish  for  Iron  Work 
To  make  a  varnish  for  outdoor  wood  and 
Ironwork,  dissolve  in  about  2  pounds  of 
tar  oil  Y2  pound  of  asphaltum  and  a  like 
quantity  of  pounded  rosin  ;  mix  hot  to  an 
Iron  kettle,  care  being  taken  to  prevent 
any  contact  with  the  flame.  When  cold 
the  varnish  is  ready  for  use. 

Rochester,  N.  Y.        Joseph  M.  Stabel. 


Black  Varnish  for  Metals 

A  good  varnish  for  finishing  metals  can 
be  made  by  mixing  1,000  parts  of  benzine, 
300  parts  of  pulverized  asphalt,  and  6 
parts  of  pure  india  rubber,  to  which  Is 
added  enough  lampblack  to  give  the  de- 
sired consistency  to  the  mixture. 

Bridgeport,  Conn.         H.  A.  Sherwood. 


Varnish  for  Drawing's 

Dissolve  by  gentle  heat  8  ounces  of  san- 
darac  in  32  ounces  of  alcohol.  Another 
receipt  is  :  Dissolve  2  pounds  of  mastic  and 
2  pounds  of  a  lammar  in  1  gallon  turpen- 
ttoe  without  heat.  The  drawings  must 
first  be  sized  with  a  strong  solution  of  is- 
inglass and  hot  water.         W.  R.  Bowers. 

Birmingham,  Eng. 


Varnish  for  Cast  Iron  Patterns 

For  small  cast  iron  patterns  the  follow- 
ing is  a  very  satisfactory  method  of  var- 
nishing. Apply  boiled  linseed  oil  to  the 
iron,  the  pattern  being  heated  to  a  tem- 
perature that  will  just  char  or  blacken  the 
oil ;  the  oil  appears  to  enter  the  pores  of 
the  Iron,  and  after  such  an  application  the 
metal  resists  rust  and  corrosive  agents  very 
satisfactorily.  James  A.  Pkatt. 

Howard,  R.   I. 


To  Clarify  Shellac  Varnish 

Even  with  the  best  of  care  the  pattern- 
maker will  find  his  shellac,  leaving  dirty 
streaks    on    the    pattern    from    various    im- 


purities held  in  suspension  In  the  varnish. 
These  may  be  entirely  precipitated  by  the 
gradual  addition  of  some  crystals  of  oxalic 
acid,  stirring  the  varnish  to  aid  their  solu- 
tion, and  then  setttog  it  aside  over  night 
to  permit  the  impurities  to  settle.  No  more 
acid  should  be  used  than  is  really  neces- 
sary. Oscar  E.  Perrigo. 
Neponset,   Mass. 


Black  Varnish  for  Iron 

A  good  black  varnish  for  cast  iron  and 
forgings  can  be  made  of  14  pound  lamp- 
black ;  %  pound  rosin  ;  1  pound  asphaltum  ; 
1  quart  turpentine  spirits ;  and  a  small 
quantity  linseed  oil.  The  lampblack  Is  first 
rubbed  up  with  the  linseed  oil,  no  more  oil 
being  used  than  necessary  for  this  purpose. 
The  other  ingredients  are  then  mixed  with 
It  thoroughly.  O.   G. 


Varnishing'  Blue-prints  or  Drawingfs 

The  appearance  of  varnished  blue-prints 
and  drawings  may  be  greatly  improved  and 
the  amount  of  bleached  shellac  varnish 
considerably  decreased  by  the  followtog 
process :  Soak  overnight  a  quantity  of  Is- 
inglass In  just  enough  cold  water  to  cover 
it.  Use  a  perfectly  clean  glue  kettle,  in 
which  it  is  to  be  heated  up,  adding  what- 
ever amount  of  water  may  be  needed  to 
make  a  moderately  thin  sizing.  Apply  this 
warm,  not  hot,  to  the  drawing  or  blue- 
print. When  dry  apply  one  good  coat  of 
bleached  shellac  varnish.  The  effect  will 
be  nearly  as  good  as  the  best  varnished 
maps.  Oscar   E.   Pereigo. 

Neponset,   Mass. 


Composition  of  Spirit  Varnish 
The  table  below  gives  the  composition  in 
ounces  of  eight  different  kinds  of  varnish  : 

Sandarac    2     8  —     4     2  —     1     1 

Best    shellac 1  —     5     2     510     5     4 

Mastic    % 1  —     2     1     1 

Benzoin    l 1     1 

Powdered    glass..   1 4     5 

Venice    turpentine  12122 1 

Elemi     ^ ly^ 

Alcohol     6  32  32  32  24  32  32  32 

Varnish  can  be  "paled"  by  adding  2 
drams  of  oxalic  acid  per  pint  of  varnish  ; 
it  can  be  colored  red  with  dragon's  blood, 
brown  with  logwood  or  madder,  and  yel- 
low with  aloes  or  gamboge,  each  dissolved 
in   spirits   and   strained.     W.   R.   Bower.s. 

Birmingham,  England. 


48 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To   Improve   the   Color   of   Shellac 
Varnish 

Occasionally  the  shellac  varnish  used 
by  the  pattern-maker  for  varnishing  very 
nice  patterns  will  seem  to  lose  its  clear, 
amber  tint.  It  is  frequently  the  case  that 
the  jar  is  cleaned  out  and  a  fresh  lot  dis- 


solved. This  does  not  always  cure  the 
trouble.  Any  desired  depth  of  tint  may  be 
readily  obtained  by  the  addition  of  a  small 
quantity  of  gamboge  previously  dissolved  in 
a  small  quantity  of  alcohol.  It  should  be 
kept  on   hand   for  ihis  purpose. 

Neponset,  Mass.         Oscar  E.  Perrigo. 


PAINTS  AND  ^WHITE^WASHES 


■Waterproof  Paint  for  Plaster 

To  make  waterproof  paint  for  plaster 
get  some  mica  plates,  bleach  them  by  fire, 
boil  in  hydrochloric  acid,  wash  and  dry 
and  reduce  to  a  fine  powder ;  then  mix  with 
sufficient  quantity  of  collodion  to  make  it 
run  from  the  brush.  Apply  with  ordinary 
paint  brush.  P.  L.  Engel. 

New   Britain,   Conn. 


Paint  for  Pitting  and  Scraping^ 

To  make  a  paint  for  fitting  and  scraping 
get  five  or  ten  cents'  worth  of  scarlet  ver- 
milion (powder)  at  any  store  where  paint 
is  sold.  Melt  a  tablespoonful  of  lard  and 
mix  into  the  dry  paint  until  like  thick 
cream,  and  when  cold  it  is  just  right.  The 
vermilion  is  very  fine  and  has  no  grit  in 
it  so  that  the  least  touch  of  the  mixture 
shows. 

This  is  better  than  the  tube  paint  gen- 
erally used,  as  being  mixed  with  animal 
oil,  it  will  stand  exposure  to  the  air  for  a 
year  or  more  without  drying ;  but  the  tube 
paint  is  mixed  with  vegetable  oil  and  will 
soon  harden  on  exposure  to  the  air.  Any 
colored  paint  powder  can  be  used,  which  is 
preferred.  To  test  for  grit  take  some  be- 
tween the  thumb  and  forefinger.     F.  W.  B. 


Zinc  Faint  for  Oil  Wells 

Persons  having  occasion  to  paint  oil  wells 
of  bearings,  or  any  surface  coming  in  con- 
tact with  either  hot  or  cold  oil,  will  find  a 
zinc  paint  consisting  of  25  pounds  oxide  of 
zinc,  3  gallons  gloss  oil,  and  1  quart  lin- 
seed oil,  cut  with  turpentine,  and  bleached 
with  ultramarine  blue,  to  be  one  of  the 
best  coverings  ever  made.  The  surface  to 
be  covered  should  be  absolutely  free  of  all 
greasy  or  oily  substances ;  if  proper  care 
is  taken,  the  paint  will  not  crack  and  will 
retain  its  pure  white  appearance  indefi- 
nitely. The  paint  can  be  blown  into  water 
jackets  of  bearings,  filling  the  sand  holes, 
and  as  it  dries  rapidly,  will  be  found  ex- 
cellent for  the  purpose.  Electro. 


Marking^  Faint 

In  shops  making  a  business  of  repairing 
machinery,  it  is  generally  necessary  to  mark 
the  parts  of  machines  in  some  way  so  that 
they  may  be  properly  reassembled.  This  is 
especially  true  in  railway  shops,  where  the 
marking  is  necessary  more  for  the  purpose 
of  distinguishing  the  parts  of  diflferent  en- 
gines. The  best  way  to  mark  such  parts, 
of  course,  is  to  stamp  them  with  steel  dies ; 
but  this  is  not  always  practicable,  and,  in 
the  absence  of  such  means  of  marking,  it  is 
customary  to  use  a  marking  paint  made  of 
white  lead  mixed  with  turpentine  to  a  thin 
consistency.  Such  paint  dries  quickly  and 
when  dry  is  not  easily  removed.  It  has  the 
advantage  of  showing  up  fairly  well  on 
greasy  surfaces,  but  it  is  better  that  the 
surfaces  to  be  marked  should  be  well  cleaned 
with   kerosene   oil   before   marking. 

Newark,  N.  .T,  P.   Emersox. 


Brilliant  Whitewash 

Half  a  bushel  unslaked  lime ;  slake  with 
warm  water,  cover  it  during  the  process 
to  keep  the  steam ;  strain  the  liquid 
through  a  fine  sieve  or  strainer ;  add  a 
peck  of  salt,  the  same  to  be  previously 
well  dissolved  In  warm  water ;  add  three 
pounds  of  ground  rice  boiled  to  a  thin 
paste  and  stir  in  boiling  hot ;  add  one-half 
pound  of  glue  which  has  been  previously 
dissolved  over  a  slow  fire  and  add  five  gal- 
lons of  hot  water  to  the  mixture,  stir  well 
and  let  it  stand  for  a  few  days,  covering 
up  to  keep  out  dirt.  It  should  be  put  on 
hot.  One  pint  of  the  mixture,  properly 
applied,  will  cover  a  square  yard.  Small 
brushes  are  best.  There  is  nothing  can 
compare  with  it  for  outside  or  inside  work 
and  it  retains  its  brilliancy  for  many  years. 
Coloring  matter  may  be  put  in  and  made  of 
any  shade — Spanish  brown,  yellow  ochre, 
or  common  clay,  etc. 

Yours  truly, 

U.  S.  Grant. 

To  my  dear  friend,  I.  Bulson, 
San  Pranclsco. 

P.  S. :  I  whitewashed  the  White  House 
all  over  with  it  U.  S.  G. 


PLASTER  OF  PARIS 


49 


Waterproof  Marking-  Faint  for  Stone 

To  prepsire  a  marking  paint  for  use  on 
stone  where  exposed  to  the  water  and 
dampness,  use  pitch,  11  pounds,  lamp- 
blacli,  1  pound,  and  heat  carefully,  adding 
sufficient  turpentine  to  give  the  mixture  the 
desired   consistency.  M.   E.   Canek. 


Non-flakingf  Whitewash 

To    prepare    whitewash    for    fences,   build- 


ings, shop  interiors,  etc.,  that  will  not 
flake  and  fall  off,  mix  1  part  fine  Portland 
cement  with  about  8  gallons  whitewash. 
The  cement  binds  the  whitewash  to  the 
wood  and  makes  a  permanent  covering 
which  is  unaffected  by  weather  conditions. 
The  small  quantity  of  cement  used  and  the 
constant  stirring  necessary  to  keep  the 
whitewash  in  good  condition  for  applying, 
prevents  the  cement  hardening  in  lumps  at 
the  bottom  of  the  pail,  as  might  be  ex- 
pected. M.   E.   Canek. 


PLASTER  OP  PARIS 


Mixing"  Plaster  of  Paris 
Almost  every  one  has  to  mix  up  gypsum 
or  plaster  of  parls  once  in  a  while,  but  few 
know  how  to  do  it  so  as  to  make  a  smooth 
cream,  or  thin  dough,  without  lumps.  The 
trick  is  not  to  pour  the  water  on  the  plas- 
ter, but  to  turn  the  latter  gradually  into 
the  water,  spreading  it  about  in  shaking 
it  in,  and  to  avoid  stirring  until  all  the 
plaster  has  been  added.  The  proper  quan- 
tity of  gypsum  is  usually  enough  to  peep 
out  over  tlie  surface  of  the  water  over  the 
greater  part  of  the  area ;  that  is,  about 
equal  volumes  of  each  ingredient.  The  ad- 
dition of  glue-water  to  the  mixture  retards 
setting.  RoBEUT  Grimshaw. 

Hanover,  Germany. 


Plaster  of  Paris  for  Pattern  Makingf 

For  experimental  purposes  and  where  but 
a  few  castings  of  medium  and  light  weight 
are  required,  plaster  of  paris  has  many 
good  advantages  as  a  material  for  pattei-n 
making.  It  is  light,  it  can  be  given  a 
smooth  surface,  it  is  easily  given  any  re- 
quired   shape    and   it   can    be    added    to    in- 


definitely. While  it  is  brittle,  this  is  more 
than  offset  by  the  saving  in  first  cost  and 
the  quickness  with  which  the  pattern  may 
be  prepared.  Plaster  of  paris  sets  in  from 
three  to  six  minutes,  but  if  for  any  reason 
it  is  desired  to  keep  the  mass  plastic  for  a 
longer  period,  one  drop  of  glue  to  a  five- 
gallon  mixture  will  keep  it  soft  for  a  couple 
of  hours.  Plaster  of  paris  mixed  with 
cold  water  has  an  expansion  of  about  1-lG 
inch  to  the  foot  when  hardening.  Should 
this  be  undesirable,  mix  with  warm  water 
or  lime  water  and  there  is  no  expansion. 
Donald  A.  Hampson. 
Middletown,   N.  Y. 


To  Delay  the  Setting-  of  Plaster  of 
Paris 

Citric  acid  will  delay  the  setting  of  plas- 
ter of  paris  for  several  hours.  One  ounce  of 
acid,  at  a  cost  of  about  five  cents,  will  be 
sufficient  to  delay  the  setting  of  one  hun- 
dred pounds  of  plaster  of  paris  for  two  or 
three  hours.  Dissolve  the  acid  in  the  water 
before  mixing  the  plaster. 

Indianapolis,  Ind.  Otto  L.  Lewis. 


POLISHING  AND  FINISHING  ^WOOD 


Mixture  for  Ebonizing  Wood  Han- 
dles, Etc. 

To  prepare  a  mixture  for  ebonizing  wood 
handles,  etc.,  use  logwood,  2  pounds ;  tannic 
acid,  1  pound,  and  sulphate  of  iron,  1 
pound.  Apply  hot  and  polish  when  the 
pieces  have  become  dry  and  cold. 

Birmingham,    Eng.  W.    R.    Boweks. 


Polishing'  Wood 

A  very  nice  polish  on  wood  is  obtained 
by  using  the  following  mixture :  %  pint 
of  alcohol,  14  ounce  of  shellac,  and  % 
ounce  of  rosin.  Dissolve  the  shellac  and 
rosin  in   the  alcohol ;   then  add    i^    pint  of 


linseed   oil,   and   shake    the   whole   mixture. 
Apply  with  a  sponge,  brush  or  flannel.     Rub 
the  wood  thoroughly  after  the  application. 
E.  W.  Norton. 

To   Finish   Wooden   Handles,   Gun 
Stocks,  Etc. 

The  wooden  parts  of  tools,  the  forearms 
and  stocks  of  guns,  etc.,  are  often  made 
to  have  a  fine  appearance  by  French  pol- 
ishing, but  this  flnish  adds  little  or  nothing 
to  their  durability.  A  much  better  flnish  is 
to  soak  the  wood  in  linseed  oil  for  a  week 
and  then  rub  it  with  an  oil-soaked  cloth 
a  few  minutes  every  day  for  a  week  or  two 
longer.  This  solidifies  and  preserves  the 
work.  A.  L.  MONRAD. 


50 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


TO  RECUT  OLD  FILES 


To  Becut  Old  Files 

Dissolve  four  ounces  of  saleratus  in  one 
quart  of  water  and  boil  the  files  in  it  for 
half  an  hour,  wash  and  dry  them.  Have 
ready  in  a  glass  or  stoneware  vessel  1 
quart  of  rain  water  to  which  4  ounces  of 
best  sulphuric  acid  have  been  slowly  added, 
keeping  these  proportions  for  any  amount 
used.  Immerse  the  files  in  this  prepara- 
tion, then  wash  them  clean.  Dry  quickly 
and  cover  with  a  little  sweet  oil.  Coarse 
files  should  remain  in  the  diluted  sulphuric 
acid  for  about  twelve  hours,  though  from 
six  to  eight  hours  are  enough  for  fine  ones. 
Files  may  be  recut  three  times  by  this 
process,  and  the  liquors  may  be  used  at 
different  times  if  desired.       R.  B.  Casey. 

Schenectady,   N.   Y. 


To  Becut  Old  Files 

Brush  the  old  files  with  a  wire  brush,  put 

them  in  a  tub,  cover  them  with  water  and 

add  6  ounces  of  caustic  soda  per  each  100 

files.       In     about     two     hours    brush     them 


again.  They  will  then  be  free  of  grease 
and  metal.  Then  put  them  in  a  box,  lined 
with  sheet  lead,  on  a  wire  stand  made  for 
the  purpose,  and  in  such  a  way  that  they 
will  not  touch  one  another.  Cover  them 
with  a  solution  made  of  nitric  acid  and 
water,  one  pint  of  acid  to  each  gallon  of 
water.  In  23  minutes  remove  them,  wash 
them  In  water,  brush  them  with  a  hair 
brush  and  put  them  back  in  the  liquid  to 
which  one  more  pint  of  nitric  acid  to  each 
gallon  of  water  has  been  added.  In  about 
50  minutes  remove  them  again,  brush  them 
after  washing  them  with  water  and  put 
them  back  in  the  liquid  to  which  has  been 
added  Vi  pint  of  sulphuric  acid  per  each 
gallon  of  water.  In  15  minutes  remove 
them ;  wash  them  first  in  water,  then  in 
concentrated  lime  water  till  all  trace  of 
the  acid  has  disappeared.  When  dry  they 
will  have  the  appearance  and  cutting  qual- 
ity of  new  flics.  I  used  this  method  for 
recutting  old  flies  long  ago  and  found  it 
O.  K.,  and  so  can  recommend  it. 

Los   .Vngeles,  Cal.  J.   M.   Meneqius. 


EYE  WASHES,    SALVES,   CLEANING  COMPOUNDS, 
DISINFECTANTS,   ETC. 


Use  of  Turpentine  for  Woiuids 

The  machinist  often  cuts  or  bruises  his 
hands  and  by  having  a  small  bottle  of  tur- 
pentine handy  he  can  at  once  bathe  the  in- 
jured part,  which  will  relieve  the  soreness 
and  perhaps  protect  it  from  blood  poisoning. 

Angelica,  N.  Y.  F.  II.  .Jackson. 


Mixtures  for  Cleaning:  Grimy  Hands 

A  good  mixture  for  cleaning  grimy  hands 
Is  made  by  poundirg  a  cake  of  "Sapolio" 
or  "Bon  Ami"  up  quite  fine,  and  stirring  it 
Into  a  cupful  of  pure  leaf  lard,  heated  very 
hot.  Stir  until  well  mixed  and  when  it  is 
partly  cool  pour  into  a  tin  or  tins  of  con- 
venient size  to  get  the  flngers  into. 

Worcester,   Mass.  M.  E.   Howe. 


To  Prevent  Hands  Chapping-  in  Winter 

A  machinist's  hands  are  apt  to  get  sore 
;ind  stiff  from  exposure.  Take  a  four-ounce 
bottle  and  put  in  same  o  ounces  glycerine,  1 
ounce  alcohol,  and  from  20  to  30  drops  of 
carbolic  acid.  After  washing  the  hands. 
and  while  they  are  a  little  damp,  apply  a 
few  drops  and  thoroughly  rub  it  in.  It  is 
also  good  to  use  at  night. 

Angelica.  N.  Y  F.  H.  Jackson. 


Artificial  Sldn  for  Burns,  Btc. 

Dissolve  equal  parts  of  gun  cotton  and 
Venice  turpentine  in  20  parts  sulphuric 
ether,  dissolving  the  cotton  first  and  then 
the  turpentine.  Keep  in  a  tighly  corked 
bottle.  The  use  of  the  turpentine  is  to 
prevent  pressure  or  pinching  of  the  tiesh 
caused  by  the  evaporation  of  the  ether 
when  applied.  Water  does  not  affect  this 
covering,  hence  its  value  for  burns  on  the 
face  or   hands.  E.   W.    Norto.n. 


For  Chapped  Hands — Eye  Wash 

I  worked  in  a  drug  store  for  several 
years  and  tried  many  combinations  for 
chapped  hands  and  finally  selected  the  fol- 
lowing :  Bay  rum,  3  ounces ;  glycerine,  1 
ounce:  carbolic  acid.  !{>  dram  (30  drops). 
Wash  the  hands  well  and  apply  while  hands 
are  soft,  preferably  just  before  going  to 
bed.  Rub  in  thoroughly.  This  rarely  fails 
to  cure   the  worst   "chaps"    in    two  nights. 

Also  a  most  excellent  eye  wash  is  as 
follows :  Boric  acid,  40  grains ;  camphor 
water  and  distilled  water,  each  2  ounces. 
Bathe  the  eyes  freely  several  times  a  day. 
This  is  handy  to  have  when  the  eyes  are 
infl.imed  from  having  steel  or  emery,  etc., 
in  them.  George  C.  Nash. 

Rockford.   III. 


EYE  WASHES,  SALVES,  ETC. 


51 


To  Treat  Inflamed  Eyes — Care   of  the 
Eyes 

The  treatment  of  an  inflamed  eye  Is 
a  matter  of  some  moment  in  a  machine 
shop,  and  too  much  care  cannot  be  talcen  to 
treat  such  cases  scientifically.  You  have  only 
two  eyes — unless  you  are  a  foreman,  and 
then  you  are  supposed  to  be  a  full-fledged 
pineapple,  as  far  as  eyes  are  concerned. 
A  splendid  remedy  for  an  inflamed  eye 
Is  a  weak  solution  of  powdered  borax  water 
— either  warm  or  cold — applied  by  rubbing 
It  in  the  eye  with  a  cloth,  or  dropping  It 
In.  It  is  very  soothing  and  will  drive 
the  soreness  and  inflammation  out  and 
leave  the  eye  in  a  better  condition  than  it 
was  before  it  was  irritated.  The  proper 
proportion  is  a  spoonful  of  powdered  borax 
in  a  glass  of  water.  A  mechanic  should 
always  bear  in  mind  that  the  loss  of  an 
eye  may  drive  him  to  selling  shoe-strings. 
A  pair  of  plain  eyeglasses  will  protect  the 
eyes  from  chips  or  emery,  and  borax  water 
Is  good  for  tired  eyes  too — the  kind  of 
eyes  you  have  when  working  too  much  over- 
time. 

Another  eye  kink  is  to  get  a  round  look- 
ing glass  about  3  inches  in  diameter,  and 
on  the  back  of  it  near  the  center  attach 
a  cloth  band  or  strap.  I  made  one  with  a 
ball-and-socket  Joint.  Now  this  strap  is 
made  to  fit  easily  around  the  head,  the 
glass  resting  against  the  forehead.  The 
function  of  this  glass  is  to  reflect  the 
light  from  a  distant  window  on  to  the 
work.  It  is  a  very  satisfactory  rig  to  wear 
when  filing  to  a  line  or  working  to  a  line 
on  a  machine.  The  finer  the  glass  the 
better  is  the  focus  of  light  reflected.  By 
using  a  ball-and-socket  joint  the  glass  can 
be  instantly  adjusted  to  throw  the  light  on 
the  point  you  wish  to  see.  Every  diemaker 
ought  to  have  one.  Carroll  Ashley. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 


able,  particularly  to  a  man  "off  on  a  Job," 
to  keep  this  simple  remedy  in  mind  may  be 
well  worth  while.       Donald  A.  IIampson. 
Middletown,  N.  Y. 


Preventing-   Serious   Results   from   In- 
juries from  Rusted  Objects 

Everyone  knows  how  a  small  wound 
caused  by  rusty  pieces  of  metal  oftentimes 
develops  blood  poison,  or  lockjaw.  The  fol- 
lowing old-fashioned  but  infallible  "first  aid 
to  the  injured"  may  therefore  be  of  value 
to  remember.  An  ordinary  lump  of  brown 
sugar  is  heated  on  the  surface  sufficiently 
hot  to  produce  smoke,  and  the  wound  is 
held  in  this  smoke  for  several  minutes.  No 
serious  results  will  follow  after  this  treat- 
ment, and  all  soreness  will  be  taken  out  of 
the  wound  even  though  the  application  takes 
place  some  time  after  the  accident.  The  smoke 
given  off  by  burning  woolen  rags  is  equally 
effective,  and.  as  they  are  more  often  avail- 


Disinfectant 

It  is  frequently  necessary  to  disinfect  our 
offices  and  shops ;  a  very  effective  and  inex- 
pensive means  is  as  follows:  To  CVa 
ounces  of  crystals  of  potassium  perman- 
ganate, add  one  pint  of  formaldehyde  (40 
per  cent)  for  every  1,000  cubic  feet  of  room 
space.  The  disinfectant  should  be  mixed  in 
a  metal  receptacle  having  at  least  ten  times 
the  volume  of  the  ingredients  used.  This 
Is  required  to  prevent  the  mixture  from 
boiling  ov3r.  The  receptacle  holding  the 
crystals  should  be  placed  near  the  center 
of  the  room  which  is  to  be  disinfected, 
after  ascertaining  that  all  doors,  windows, 
etc.,  are  securely  calked  to  prevent  the  gas 
from  escaping.  The  formaldehyde  solution 
should  be  ready  to  be  poured  upon  the 
crystals,  which  must  be  done  quickly.  The 
room  must  then  be  left  closed  for  at  least 
thirty-six  hours  to  obtain  the  best  results. 

Denver,  Col.  E.  W.  Bowen. 


Compound  for  Cleaning  the  Hands 

To  loosen  the  oil  and  grease,  the  hands 
should  first  be  scrubbed  with  a  stiff  brush 
dipped  in  kerosene,  and  then  they  should  be 
wiped  dry  with  waste.  Take  a  five-cent  box 
of  soap  powder  (I  prefer  Soapine,  because 
it  lathers  freely),  add  to  it  an  equal  quan- 
tity of  white  sand.  Mix  thoroughly  and 
rub  over  the  wet  hands  in  the  form  of  a 
paste.  This  compound  will  rinse  off  in 
any  kind  of  hard  or  soft,  hot  or  cold  water. 
Hands  washed  in  this  manner  twice  a  day 
will  be  free  from  grime  and  clean  all  over. 

New  York.  H.  J.  Bachmaxn. 


Plaster  or  Salve  for  Use  in  Place  of 
Stitches 
To  make  a  plaster  or  salve  which  can  be 
used  in  case  of  accident  in  place  of  stitches 
where  a  person  has  sustained  a  deep  cut, 
melt  together  white  rosin,  7  ounces,  bees- 
wax, 1^  ounce ;  mutton  tallow,  %  ounce. 
Pour  into  cold  water  and  work  with  the 
hands  until  it  is  thoroughly  incorporated, 
and  roll  out  Into  suitable  sticks  for  use. 
When  required  warm  and  spread  upon  a 
firm  piece  of  cloth,  cutting  the  wax  into 
narrow  strips  In  case  of  deep  wounds.  It 
will  be  found  to  hold  the  edges  of  the  flesh 
firmly  together.  E.   W.  Norton. 


52 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Useful  Salve 

While  a  great  many  shops  now  have 
facilities  for  attending  to  shop  accidents, 
the  necessity  is  often  felt  by  the  mechanic 
working  in  a  small  shop,  or  outside,  for  a 
useful  salve  to  be  applied  to  wounds  in 
case  of  accident.  The  writer  has  made  the 
following  salve  himself,  has  used  it,  and 
knows  that  it  is  far  in  advance  of  most 
articles  for  sale  in  drug  stores  at  ten  times 
the  price.  The  ingredients  are  as  follows  : 
Two  parts  of  swallow  oil,  five  parts  of 
petrol  wax.  two  parts  eucalyptus,  and  two 
parts  of  beeswax.  Arden. 


Iiicinid  Court  Plaster 

At  your  druggist's  procure  an  ounce  bot- 
tle and  have  him  fill  it  three-fourths  full  of 
flexible  collodion,  and  fill  up  with  ether. 
Apply  to  cuts,  bruises,  etc.,  and  it  protects 
them  and  will  not  wash  off.  If  the  ether 
evaporates,  leaving  it  too  thick  for  use, 
have  more  ether  put  in  to  liquefy  It.  It  l3 
a  good  thing  to  have  in  the  house :  also 
the  tool  chest.  P.  H.  Jacksox. 

Angelica,   N.  Y. 


MISCELLANEOUS  USEFUL  RECEIPTS 


Marking-  Folished  Steel 
,  A  very  handy  way  of  marking  polished 
steel  for  sizes,  instructions,  etc.,  is  to  keep 
a  small  oil  can  filled  with  turpentine  with 
which  to  saturate  a  small  piece  of  waste 
as  needed ;  rub  over  the  surface  to  be 
marked  and  then  do  the  marking  with  an 
indelible  copying  pencil,  which  will  show  up 
very  plain.  Of  course  the  can  of  turpen- 
tine also  comes  in  handy  to  use  for  drill- 
ing hard  steel,  springs,  etc. 

St.  Paul,  Minn.  Arthur  Muxch. 


Iron  or  Steel? 

To  find  out  whether  a  piece  is  steel  or 
iron  touch  it  with  nitric  acid,  using  a 
stick  of  wood,  and  then  wash  it  with  water. 
If  Iron,  a  light  or  azure  stain  will  appear. 
If  steel,   the  stain  will  be  black. 

Los    Angeles,    Cal.  .1.    M.    Menegus. 


Acid  Test  for  Iron  and  Steel 

A  simple  acid  test  for  iron  and  steel  is 
made  as  follows :  The  sample  to  be  tested 
should  be  filed  smooth  or  polished.  Then 
place  it  in  dilute  nitric  or  sulphuric  acid 
for  from  15  to  20  hours ;  then  wash  and 
dry  the  sample.  The  best  steel  then  has 
a  frosty  appearance,  ordinary  steel  has  a 
honeycombed  appearance ;  and  Iron  presents 
a  fibrous  structure  in  the  direction  In  which 
it   has   been  worked.  A.  A. 


To  Prevent  Babbitt  Metal  or  lead  from 
Exploding* 

Before  pouring  the  babbitt  metal,  throw 
In  a  piece  of  rosin, the  size  of  a  walnut  and 
allow  It  to  melt.  If  the  bearings  to  be 
lined  with  babbitt  are  warmed  before  pour- 
ing, the  metal  will  run  better,  thus  insuring 
a  better  job.  R.  B.  Casey. 

Schenectady.   N.  Y 


Mixtures  for  Making-  Plug  Cocks  and 
Glass  Stoppers  Tight 

To  make  an  anti-leak  and  lubricating 
mixture  for  plug  cocks  use  2  parts  of  tried 
suet  and  1  part  of  beeswax  melted  together ; 
stir   thoroughly,    strain    and    cool. 

A  mixture  for  making  glass  stoppers  tight 
Is  made  by  melting  together  equal  parts  of 
glycerine  and  paraffin.       L.   S.  Bcrbank. 

Worcester,  Mass. 


To  Keep  Steel  Tools  in  Their  Handles 

To  keep  steel  tools  In  their  handles,  fill 
the  handle  with  powdered  rosin  and  a  little 
rotten  stone.  Heat  the  tang  of  the  tool 
hot,  and  then  push  it  down  hard  Into  the 
handle ;  when  It  is  cold  it  will  be  firmly 
set.  M.  E.  Howe. 

Worcester,  Mass. 


Strop  Paste  for  Xtazors   and  Keen  Edge 
Tools 

An  excellent  strop  paste  for  edging 
razors  or  other  keen-edge  tools  is  a  mixture 
of  levigated  oxide  of  tin,  1  ounce,  powdered 
oxalic  acid,  i/4  ounce ;  powdered  gum,  20 
grains.  Mix  to  a  paste  with  water,  spread 
evenly  over,  and  work  well  into  the  strop 
with  some  smooth  surface.  The  rough  side 
of  the  strop  gives  best  results. 

Denver,  Col.  E.   W.  Bowen. 

To  Dissolve  Glass 

A  hole  may  be  cut  or  etched  through 
glass  readily  by  using  hydrofluoric  acid. 
The  acid  should  be  applied  in  the  same  way 
as  etching  acid,  using  wax  to  surround  the 
portion  of  the  glass  which  is  to  be  pene- 
trated. Hydrofluoric  acid  is  sold  In  was 
bottles,  as  it  cannot  be  kept  In  glass.  It 
may  be  handled  with  a  Tiard  rubber  dropper 
similar  in  construction  to  the  ordinary  glass 
medicine  droppers.  S.  W.  Green*. 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS 


53 


Acid  Pickling-  for  Forg-ing-s 

To  remove  scale  from  drop  forglngs 
which  have  to  be  machined,  dip  in  a  piclile 
composed  of  hot  water  24  parts,  sulphuric 
acid  1  part.  Hardener. 


To  Write  Black  on  Glass  or  Brig^ht 
Metal 

To  write  black  on  glass  or  bright  metal, 
use  1  to  2  parts  of  silicate  of  soda  with 
10  parts  of  India  ink.  Write  with  a  steel 
pen.  F.  H.  Jackson. 

Angelica,    N.   Y. 


To  Cut  Off  Glass  Tubes 
Saturate  a  cotton  string  in  kerosene, 
wrap  it  around  the  glass  tube  where  you 
wish  to  have  it  cut,  set  fire  to  the  string, 
and  when  all  parts  are  ablaze,  plunge  the 
glass  in  a  pail  of  water.  Give  the  top  of 
the  glass  a  light  blow  with  a  stick,  and 
there  will  be  an  even  break  all  around. 
Detroit,  Mich.  Charles  Sherman. 


To  Remove  Steel  Chips  from  Jig-s  and 
the  I^ike 

It  is  often  very  desirable  to  remove  chips 
of  steel  from  jigs  and  the  like  each  time 
a  new  piece  is  inserted.  An  easy  way  to 
do  this  is  to  put  a  pound  of  caustic  soda  in 
a  gallon  of  water  and  dip  the  jig  in  every 
time  it  is  desired  to  remove  the  chips. 

Winnetka,   III.  F.   Pavlik,   Jr. 


To  Remove  Hard  Grease,  Paint,  Etc., 
from  Machinery 

To  remove  grease,  paint,  etc.,  from  ma- 
■chinery  add  half  a  pound  of  caustic  soda 
to  two  gallons  of  water  and  boll  the  parts 
to  be  cleaned  in  the  fluid.  It  is  possible 
to  use  it  several  times  before  its  strength 
is  exhausted.  F.  Pavlik,  Jr. 

Winnetka,    III. 


The  Use  of  Brass  Wire  in  Brazing 

In  place  of  spelter  use  wire  or  rod  brass 
and  boracic  acid  as  a  flux.  Anneal  the  end 
of  wire  or  rod  by  heating,  while  the  joint 
is  getting  hot,  and  after  dipping  the  rod 
Into  boracic  acid,  apply  to  the  joint,  the  rod 
melting  at  the  end  will  flow  into  the  Joint. 
After  the  joint  is  cooled,  submerge  in  hot 
soda  water ;  this  will  take  off  every  parti- 
cle of  acid,  leaving  only  the  brass  to  be 
filed  off.  F.  H.  Jackson. 

Angelica,  N.  Y. 


To  Weld  Spring  Steel 
An  experienced  blacksmith  has  used  for 
years  the  following  in  welding  steel 
springs.  Just  before  the  steel  comes  to  a 
welding  heat  he  placed  a  small  piece  of 
Russian  sheet  Iron — such  as  stove  bodies 
are  made  of — on  the  joint ;  this  melts  and 
runs  into  the  joint  so  that  the  weld  is 
pel  feet.  X.  Y.  Z. 


Steel  Welding  Compound 

A  good  compound  for  welding  cast  steel 
is  made  as  follows:  41%  parts,  boracic 
acid ;  35  parts,  common  salt ;  20  parts,  fer- 
rocyanide  of  potassium;  7%  parts,  rosin; 
4  parts,  carbonate  of  sodium.  Heat  the 
pieces  to  be  welded  to  a  light  red  heat  and 
apply  above  compound,  then  heat  to  a 
strong  yellow  heat  and  the  welding  may  be 
accomplished  in  the  usual  manner. 

The  usual  precaution  applies,  of  course, 
in  the  use  of  the  above,  the  same  as  with 
any  of  the  cyanides,  and  that  Is  to  avoid 
breathing  the  poisonous  fumes.  A.  A. 


Bicycle   Tire  Anti-leak 

Many  machinists  ride  their  bicycles  to 
and  from  work  and  are  consequently  in- 
terested iu  anything  that  will  make  tires 
more  nearly  puncture-proof.  I  have  not 
tried  the  following  anti-leak  compound,  but 
infer  from  a  note  in  the  English  Mechanic 
that  it  works  successfully  on  both  single 
and  inner-tube  tires.  Mix  \i  pint  of  silicate 
of  soda  (water  glass),  ^4  pint  of  commer- 
cial glycerine  and  a  large  tablespoonful  of 
rubberine ;  inject  about  a  teacupful  into 
the  tire.  If  too  thick,  a  little  water  can  be 
mixed  with  it  to  thin  it.  If  rubberine  is 
not    available    use    powdered    rosin. 

M.  E.  Canek. 


Process  for  Pulverizing  Borax 

To  a  two-gallon  pail  of  boiling  water  add 
as  much  borax  as  will  dissolve — and  a  sur- 
prising amount  will  dissolve — 12  to  15 
pounds  in  two  gallons  of  water.  When  as 
much  borax  is  added  to  the  boiling  water 
as  will  dissolve,  set  the  pail  In  cold  water, 
running  water  preferred.  Stir  contents 
vigorously,  which  will  in  a  few  minutes 
form  into  a  thick  mass ;  spread  this  out 
thin  on  some  smooth  surface,  as  tin,  where 
it  will  soon  dry  to  flakes  which,  when 
handled,  will  crumble  to  dust.  This  process 
is  employed  here  at  the  Rock  Island  ar- 
senal. Albert  D.  Knacel. 

Moline,  HI. 


54 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To  Restore  Burnt  Steel 

To  restore  burnt  cast  steel  heat  the  piece 
to  a  red  heat  and  sprinkle  over  it  a  mix- 
ture of  8  parts,  red  chromate  of  potassium ; 
4  parts,  saltpeter ;  %  part,  aloes ;  %  part, 
gum  arable,  and  V4  part,  rosin.  A.  A. 


Anti-freezing    Solution 

A  solution  for  water  jackets  on  gas  en- 
gines that  will  not  freeze  at  any  tempera- 
ture ftbove  20  degrees  below  zero  may  be 
made  by  combining  100  parts  of  water  by 
weight  with  75  parts  of  carbonate  potash 
and  50  parts  of  glycerine.  This  solution  is 
non-corrosive  and  will  remain  perfectly 
liquid  at  all  temperatures  above  its  con- 
gealing point. 


Be-inking"  Time-clock  Bibbons 

For  re-inking  time-clock  ribbons  we  use 
the  following  receipt  for  black :  1  ounce 
aniline  black ;  15  ounces  pure  grain  alcohol ; 
15  ounces  concentrated  glycerine.  Dissolve 
the  aniline  black  in  the  alcohol  and  then 
add  the  glycerine.  For  blue  use  prussian 
blue,  and  for  red  use  red  lead  instead  of 
the  aniline  black.  This  ink  is  also  good 
for  rubber  stamp  pads. 

Moline,  111.  Albert  D.  Knauel. 


To   Cut  Cork 

In  cutting  cork,  the  knife  should  be  kept 
greased.  Where,  however,  the  desired  piece 
is  symmetrical  about  one  axis,  and  of  cir- 
cular cross-section,  it  may  best  be  roughed 
with  a  greasy  knife  and  then  ground  to 
profile  with  a  coarse  emery  wheel.  Cork 
pen-holders  are  made  in  this  way.  Where 
many  pieces  are  to  be  cut  out  of  sheet 
cork,  it  is  advisable  to  use  a  band  knife, 
against  which  there  is  kept  pressed  a  block 
of  grease.  Robert  Grimshaw. 

Hanover,    Germany. 


To  Punch  Hard  Rubber 

To  punch  hard  rubber  successfully  heat 
the  punch  and  die,  or  the  material.  The 
blanks  usually  curl  or  wrinkle  into  almost 
every  conceivable  shape  in  the  operation  of 
cutting.  To  straighten  and  bring  them 
back  to  their  original  outline,  allow  the 
punchings  to  drop  into  a  pan  of  hot  water. 
The  action  of  the  hot  water  causes  the 
curled  parts  to  return  to  their  former  flat 
shape,  the  same  as  before  passing  through 
the  die.  L.  C.  Carr. 

Lynn,    Mass. 


Insulating   Covering   for   Steam   Pipes 
and  Boilers 

To  one  barrel  of  lime  use  six  barrels  of 
sawdust.  Slake  the  lime  in  an  ordinary 
mortar  bed,  and  when  slaked  mix  in  the 
sawdust,  using  enough  mortar  to  make  it  of 
the  consistency  of  mortar.  Apply  when  the 
steam  is  on.  The  covering  is  adapted  for 
steam  pipes  and  boilers,  more  especially  in 
sawmills  and  other  places  where  a  box  can 
be  built  around  the  pipe  so  as  to  hold  the 
mixture  in  place.  It  is  approved  by  insur- 
ance companies.  Theodore  Disch. 

Milwaukee,  Wis. 


To  Test  Galvanized  Wire 

The  Western  Union  Telegraph  Co.  sub- 
jects Its  wires  to  the  following  test  in 
order  to  ascertain  that  they  are  well  gal- 
vanized. The  wire  is  plunged  into  a  satu- 
rated solution  of  sulphate  of  copper  (blue 
vitriol),  and  permitted  to  remain  in  this 
for  one  minute,  after  which  it  is  wiped 
clean.  This  process  is  repeated  four  times. 
If  the  wire  appears  black  after  the  fourth 
immersion,  it  shows  that  the  zinc  has  not 
all  been  removed,  and  that  the  galvanizing 
has  been  well  done ;  but  if  it  has  a  copper 
color,  the  iron  is  exposed,  showing  that  the 
zinc  coating  is  too  thin.  O.  G. 


To  Test  White  Iiead 

This  simple  test  to  determine  the  purity 
of  white  lead  may  be  found  useful  where 
much  painting  is  being  done.  It  is  as  fol- 
lows :  Select  a  piece  of  charcoal  of  firm 
structure,  and  hollow  out  a  cavity  in  one 
side  about  %  inch  in  diameter  and  of  the 
same  depth.  Put  a  sample  of  white  load 
in  the  hollow  about  the  size  of  a  pea,  and 
subject  it  for  a  few  moments  to  a  blow-pipe 
flame.  If  the  sample  is  pure,  it  will  quickly 
reduce  to  metallic  lead.  Adulterated  white 
lead  will  generally  contain  a  residue  that 
cannot  be  reduced.  M.  E.  Caxek. 


Packing   for   Gas   Engine    Cylinders    and 
Pipe  Carrying  Gasoline  Vapor 

To  prepare  packing  for  joints  in  pipes, 
etc.,  carrying  gasoline  vapor,  mix  a  quan- 
tity of  graphite  and  kerosene  to  a  thick 
paste  and  apply  the  paste  to  both  sides  of 
sheet  asbestos.  When  dry  the  packing  may 
be  cut  to  the  shape  desired.  The  graphite 
helps  the  asbestos  make  intimate  contact 
with  the  iron  and  thus  maintain  a  tight 
joint  continuously  at  high  temperature  for 
an   indefinite   time.  H.   J.   Bachmanx. 

New  York. 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS 


55 


Facbingf  fox  Gasoline  Pumps 

For  packing  pumps  on  gasoline  engines 
use  asbestos  wick-packing  rubbed  full  of 
regular  laundry  soap  ;  it  will  work  without 
undue  friction  and  will  pack  tightly.  Com- 
mon rubber-packing  is  not  as  good,  as  the 
gasoline  cuts  it  out.  A.   A. 


To  Remove  CS-rease  or  Dirt  from 
Mercury 

To  cleanse  mercury  first  put  a  ten  per 
cent  solution  of  nitric  acid  in  an  iron  ladle, 
and  then  the  mercury  to  be  cleaned ;  place 
same  over  a  blacksmith's  forge  until  the 
nitric  acid  boils.  The  dirt  will  then  rise 
to  the  top,  and  leave  the  mercury  perfectly 
clean  in  the  bottom.  Care  must  be  used 
not  to  let  the  mercury  boil,  as  the  fumes 
are   very   poisonous.  H.   C. 


Investig-ating-  Adulterations   in   Belts 
and  Iieather 

Some  manufacturers  make  their  belts 
and  leather  heavier  in  the  following  way  : 
The  leather  is  kept  in  a  current  of  steam 
at  low  temperature  until  its  pores  are  well 
open.  Then  it  is  put  in  a  solution  of 
glucose.  The  leather  absorbs  the  liquid, 
and  in  drying  the  water  evaporates  and 
the  pores  close,  retaining  the  glucose.  To 
find  out  whether  belts  or  leather  have  un- 
dergone this  operation,  put  a  piece  of  the 
suspected  leather  in  some  distilled  water, 
and  when  it  is  well  soaked,  half  fill  a  glass 
tube  with  some  of  the  water,  add  a  few 
drops  of  sulphate  of  copper,  and  fill  the 
tube  with  a  solution  of  caustic  potash.  Stir 
the  liquid  well  and  let  it  boil  on  an  alcohol 
lamp.  If  the  leather  is  natural,  no  change 
will  take  place  in  the  liquid,  but  if  it  con- 
tains glucose,  a  characteristic  precipitate 
of  copper  will  form,  due  to  the  action  of 
the  glucose  on  the  solution  of  sulphate  of 
copper  and  potash.  .T.  M.  Menegu.s. 

Los  Angeles,   Cal. 


To  Babbitt  Crossheads 

Some  classes  of  engines  have  a  single 
bar  guide,  with  a  crosshead  of  the  en- 
closed type,  three  sides  of  which  are  bab- 
bitt lined.  The  crosshead  is  put  in  place 
on  piston  rod  and  guide  and  the  babbitt 
poured  in.  I  find  it  an  advantage  to  coat 
the  guide  heavily  with  white  lead  before 
pouring  the  babbitt.  This  allows  the 
crosshead  to  be  removed  with  little  trouble 
and  requires  but  little  scraping  to  get  a 
good  running  fit.  J.  V.  N.  Cheney. 

South  Portland,  Me. 


Washing-  Oily  Waste 

The  following  is  an  excellent  method  of 
washing  oily  waste.  The  chief  objection 
to  most  of  the  common  methods  employed 
is  that  the  waste,  after  being  dried.  Is 
found  to  be  matted  and  of  a  hard,  gritty 
texture.  The  common  method  of  washing 
the  waste,  using  sal-soda  in  solution,  is  a 
good  one,  as  far  as  the  cleaning  qualities 
are  concerned,  but  it  leaves  the  waste  hard 
and  matted,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  handle. 
A  simple  remedy  for  this  is  to  rinse  the 
waste  (after  being  cleaned  in  the  sal-soda 
solution),  in  very  hot  water,  to  which  has 
been  added  a  quantity  of  liquid  ammonia. 
This  will  render  the  waste  soft  and  light 
when  dry.  T.  E.  O'Do.vnell. 

Urbana,    111. 


Molding  Mixture  for  Rubber  Stamps 
and  Patterns 

The  following  mixture  is  one  which  can 
be  used  for  making  molds  for  rubber  stamps, 
special  shapes  of  rubber,  or  for  compli- 
cated, odd,  or  queer-shaped  patterns  of 
small  size,  as  the  working  must  be  done 
inside  of  ten  minutes ;  the  surface  takes 
a  finish  as  smooth  as  glass  if  well  rubbed. 
If  an  impression  is  to  be  made,  the  surface 
of  the  type  or  article  to  be  impressed 
should  be  rubbed  with  a  solution  of  kero- 
sene, and  graphite.  Plaster  of  paris,  5 
pounds ;  French  chalk,  2  pounds ;  china 
clay,  2  pounds ;  dextrine,  14  pound.  Mix 
with  dextrine  water,  which  is  made  by  dis- 
solving 1  pound  of  dextrine  in  one  gallon 
of  water.  Frank   G.  Sterling. 

Lowell,    Mass. 


To  Mend  Broken  Oilstones 

A  valuable  oilstone  can  usually  be  saved 
when  broken,  even  if  there  should  be  sev- 
eral pieces.  The  pieces  must  first  be  thor- 
oughly cleaned  and  all  oil  driven  from  the 
fractured  surfaces  by  heating  on  a  hot  iron 
plate.  After  the  surfaces  to  be  joined  are 
properly  prepared,  they  are  well  dusted 
with  powdered  shellac  and  again  heated 
until  the  shellac  is  melted  and  flows  well 
into  the  joints.  The  heating  should  be 
done  on  a  smooth  metal  plate  and  the  stone 
kept  from  the  flame  ;  otherwise  it  is  likely 
to  crack  in  other  places.  Neither  must  it 
be  overheated,  for  the  same  reason.  When 
the  shellac  has  melted,  the  parts  are  pressed 
together  and  clamped  until  they  have 
cooled.  A  joint  so  made  often  lasts  as  long 
as  the  stone,  and  if  carefully  made  leaves 
no  mar  in  the  cutting  surface. 

Chicago,   111.  O.  M.  Beckek. 


56 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


To  Scale  Cast  Iron 

To  remove  the  scale  from  cast  iron  use  a 
solution  of  1  part  vitriol  anfl  2  parts  water ; 
after  mixing,  apply  to  the  scale  with  a  cloth 
rolled  in  the  form  of  a  brush,  using  enough 
to  wet  the  surface  well.  After  8  or  10 
hours  wash  off  with  water,  when  the  hard 
scaly  surface  will  be  completely  removed. 

Schenectady,  N.  Y.  R.  B.  Casey. 


To  Braze   Steel  and  Iron  Without  Heat 

To  braze  steel  or  iron  without  heat  take 
1/4  ounce  fluoric  acid,  2  ounces  of  brass 
filings,  and  1  ounce  of  steel  filings.  Put 
them  all  into  the  fluoric.  Touch  each 
part  of  the  work  with  the  mixture,  and 
put  them  together.  Take  care  that  the 
fluoric  acid   Is  put   into  an  earthen   vessel. 

Rochester,  N.  Y.        Joseph  M.  Stabel. 


To   Clean   Jewelry,   Silverware   and 
metals 

The  following  receipt  is  one  that  not  all 
jewelers  know.  It  is  also  a  good  prepara- 
tion to  clean  the  hands  with  ;  it  will  not 
crack  the  hands  if  vaseline  is  rubbed  in 
well  immediately  after  rinsing  them  off  in 
water. 

Make  a  saturated  solution  of  cyanide  of 
potassium  by  taking  a  quantity  of  water, 
and  dissolving  the  cyanide  in  it,  until  no 
more  cyanide  will  dissolve.  Dip  the  article 
in  this  solution  until  the  dirt  Is  eaten  off 
(this  takes  but  a  short  time),  then  rinse 
off  in  hot  water,  and  dry  in  boxwood  saw- 
dust. The  article  will  then  look  better  than 
when  new.  Parke  B.  Shee. 

St.   Paul,   Minn. 


Receipt  for  Making'  Wax  Tapers  for 
Cores 

Take  equal  parts  of  beeswax  and  pow- 
dered rosin.  Melt  the  wax,  sprinkle  in  the 
powdered  rosin,  and  stir  until  well  mixed. 
If  beeswax  cannot  be  had,  use  parafline. 
This  composition  does  not  soften  the  core 
as  does  the  ordinary  parafflne  tapers,  be- 
cause the  rosin  goes  into  the  core  when 
it  is  baked  and  hardens  it.  If  parafline  is 
used  it  is  better  to  make  the  tapers  by  dip- 
ping cotton  wicking  into  the  melted  com- 
position, as  the  parafline  makes  it  rather 
brittle.  When  beeswax  is  used,  the  wicking 
is  not  necessary,  and  the  tapers  can  be 
formed  in  the  same  manner  as  that  em- 
ployed by  pattern-makers  in  forming  bees- 
wax fillets.  John  B.  Sperry. 

Aurora.   111. 


Die  Sinkers'  Impression  Wax 

In  the  following  I  give  two  receipts  for 
die-sinkers'  impression  wax.  In  the  first 
the  exact  proportions  of  some  of  the  In- 
gredients are  not  given,  but  the  maker  can 
use  his  own  judgment,  gradually  adding 
more  of  one  than  the  other  until  the  right 
consistency    is    obtained.  1.    Beeswax,    6 

parts ;  white  wax,  1  part :  a  small  quantity 
of  cornstarch ;  sufficient  Racine  castor  oil 
to  make  it  of  the  desired  consistency.  Add 
stearine  if  too  soft.  2.  Another  receipt  is 
two  parts  of  beeswax,  and  one  part  bay- 
berry  wax.  I  have  found  powdered  chalk 
useful  to  remove  the  stickiness  of  this  wax. 

Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y.         C.  W.  Shelly. 


Making-  Wax  Impressions 

It  often  happens  that  it  is  required  in 
the  manufacture  of  goods  to  make  a  wax 
impression  of  a  sample  or  model.  To  do 
this  successfully  proceed  as  follows :  Oil 
the  surface  of  which  the  impression  is  to 
be  made  very  slightly  with  a  few  drops  of 
oil  applied  to  a  little  waste.  Then  take 
common  beeswax,  melt  it  slowly,  but  do  not 
boil  it.  Mix  it  with  one  or  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  lampblack  to  half  a  tumbler  of 
beeswax  and  stir  the  mixture.  In  order  to 
make  the  wax  impression  show  up  clearly, 
take  a  fine  hair  brush  and  brush  a  little 
powdered  graphite  or  rouge  over  the  object 
on  which  the  impression  is  to  be  made. 

Wallingford,   Conn.  C.   W.   Shelly. 


For  Washing-  Shop  Windows 
Soap  and  water  are  poor  materials  with 
which  to  wash  greasy  and  dirty  shop  win- 
dows. The  labor  cost  is  excessive ;  the 
soapy  water  gets  into  the  joints  of  the 
window  sashes  and  hastens  decay ;  and 
there  is  liable  to  be  a  good  deal  of  soapy 
water  slopped  over  benches,  tools  and  ma- 
chines. The  quick  way,  the  economical 
way,  and  the  good  way,  is  to  use  the  fol- 
lowing preparation,  which  has  been  used 
by  the  writer  with  good  success  and  satis- 
faction for  the  past  ten  years.  Dilute 
alcohol  with  three  times  its  bulk  of  water. 
Stir  into  this  whiting  enough  to  thicken 
it  somewhat.  Apply  this  to  the  glass  with 
a  cotton  cloth  or  waste.  Leave  it  fifteen 
or  twenty  minutes  to  dry.  Then  rub  off 
with  a  cotton  cloth  or  a  handful  of  waste. 
If  sashes  are  to  be  painted,  there  will  be 
no  need  of  a  long  wait  for  the  wood  to 
dry,  as  the  alcohol  will  very  much  hasten 
the  evaporation  of  the  water  and  leave  the 
woodwork  in  fine  condition  for  the  painter. 
Peabody,    Mass.  Oscar   E.    Peuuigo. 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS 


57 


Satin  Finish  on  Aluminum 

The  article  sLould  first  be  dipped  in  a 
caustic  soda  or  caustic  potash  solution — 
potash  preferred— then  thoroughly  washed 
in  clear  water  i^nd  dipped  in  a  bath  of 
concentrated  nitric  acid,  after  which  it 
should  be  thoroughly  washed  and  dried  in 
hot  sawdust.  The  caustic  solution  should 
be  prepared  in  a  tank  provided  with  a 
steam  ceil  and  should  test  with  Baumes' 
hydrometer  at  anywhere  between  20  and 
30.  The  length  of  time  an  article  should 
remain  in  the  caustic  solution  is  a  matter 
of  judgment.  The  solution  should  attack 
the  aluminum  rapidly,  and  upon  removing 
the  article  from  the  solution,  the  solution 
should  boil  furiously  on  the  metal.  After 
washing,  the  articles  should  show  a  very 
black  color,  which  turns  to  a  silvery  white 
finish  upon  dipping  in  the  nitric  acid.  The 
best  temperature  for  the  caustic  solution 
is  at  200  degrees  F.,  just  below  the  boiling 
point.  By  the  use  of  a  steam  coil  the 
solution  can  be  kept  at  an  even  tempera- 
ture, and  the  strength  of  the  solution  can 
be  maintained  by  adding  small  quantities 
of  caustic  from  time  to  time.  The  tem- 
perature and  strength  of  the  solution  are 
very  imporrrjit. 

The  principal  point  to  bear  In  mind  in 
washing  and  drying  is  to  dry  without 
streaks,  which  is  accomplished  if  the  saw- 
dust contains  no  pitch  or  rosin. 

This  finish  can  be  improved  by  scratch- 
brushing  the  article  before  dipping  or  by 
first  dipping  in  the  two  solutions  and  then 
scratch-brushing  and  afterward  dipping 
again.  The  scratch-brushing  destroys  the 
grain  of  the  metal  and  reduces  the  possi- 
bility of  the  article  drying  with  streaks. 

Bridgeport,  Conn.  S.  H.  Sweet. 


To  Prepare  Fine  Abrasive  Quickly 

To  quickly  prepare  fine  abrasive  use 
FFF  emery  or  "15-minute"  carborundum 
with  benzine  or  naphtha  for  a  liquid,  mix- 
ing them  in  a  square  bottle.  Use  about 
two  ounces  of  the  abrasive  to  one  quart  of 
liquid ;  shake  well  and  then  lay  the  bottle 
flat  on  its  side  for  the  number  of  minutes 
needed  to  settle ;  then  pull  the  cork  and 
let  the  liquid  flow  out  until  level  with  the 
cork  hole  bottom.  The  liquid  just  drawn 
off  can  be  used  at  once  with  a  brush,  but 
by  allowing  it  to  stand  for  a  time,  the  top 
portion  can  be  poured  off,  leaving  the 
abrasive  with  a  little  benzine  which  will 
evaporate  quickly,  and  leave  the  clear 
powder. 

In  explanation  of  the  term  "15-minute" 
carborundum,    would    say    that    this    is    a 


term  applied  to  fine  abrasive  obtained  by 
the  process  just  explained  (manufacturers, 
of  course,  using  water-tanks  instead  of  bot- 
tles), the  time  the  liquid  is  allowed  to 
stand,  In  minutes,  being  used  to  distinguish 
it.  Thus,  if  it  stands  15  minutes  it  will 
be  known  as  15-minute  abrasive,  etc. 

SCOTTI. 


Cleaning'  Fluid  for  Fine  Fabrics 
This  cleaning  fluid  may  not  be  of  much 
use  in  the  shop,  but  if  some  machinist 
should  get  the  machine  shop  grime  on  his 
"Sunday-go-to-meeting"  trousers,  he  will 
find  it  useful  for  cleaning  out  the  spots;  it 
works  like  magic :  Sulphuric  ether,  three 
drams  ;  alcohol,  six  drams  ;  chloroform,  three 
drams  ;  gasoline,  one  quart.  The  mixture  can 
be  used  safely  for  cleaning  the  most  deli- 
cate fabrics,  but  being  highly  inflammable, 
it  must  be  used  with  caution  around  fires 
and  open  lights.  M.  E.  Canek. 


To  Prepare  Tripoli  or  Emery  Cake 

Tripoli,  emery  cake  and  crocus  are  all 
made  in  practically  the  same  manner,  the 
change  being  made  in  the  composition  when 
it  is  desired  to  have  the  composition  more 
greasy.  Melt  tallow  and  paraflSne  wax  or 
beeswax  together.  Beeswax  is  by  far  the 
best,  but  the  cost  of  the  same  has  led  to 
the  use  of  paraffine,  which  in  many  cases 
will  work  equally  as  well.  After  the  tallow 
and  wax  are  thoroughly  melted,  add  trlpoli 
or  emery,  whichever  is  to  be  made,  a  little 
at  a  time  and  stir  In  well  until  it  Is  as 
thick  as  is  possible  to  make  it ;  then  pour 
out  into  a  large  tin,  or  better  still,  into 
the  molds  made  for  the  purpose,  and  allow 
to  cool.  J-  L-  Lucas. 

Bridgeport,   Conn. 


To  IVIiz  Iiampblack  and  Shellac 

Mixing  lampblack  and  shellac  is  not  so 
simple  a  matter  as  it  appears,  as  many  an 
amateur  and  novice  has  found  out.  The 
tendency  is  to  form  lumps,  when  the  two 
are  mixed  by  throwing  or  even  sifting  the 
former  into  the  latter.  The  lumps  of  course 
can  be  reduced  and  an  intimate  mixture 
obtained  by  considerable  patience  with  a 
paddle  or  pestle.  The  whole  diflSculty  is 
easily  avoided  if  the  lampblack  is  first  wet 
with  alcohol  and  throughly  worked  down 
into  a  soft  paste  with  a  paddle  or  spatula. 
The  black  paste  is  then  added  to  the  shellac 
and  mixed  uniformly  by  stirrmg.  The  re- 
sult is  a  smooth  flowing  and  working 
shellac.  Other  pigments  can  be  treated  in 
the  same  way.  O.  M.  B. 


58 


SHOP  RECEIPTS  AND  FORMULAS 


Cast  Iron  Brazing 

The  ingredients  for  this  cast  iron  brazing 
may  be  had  at  any  first-class  drug  store 
and  should  cost  no  more  than  about  50 
cents.  They  consist  of  1  pound  of  boric 
acid,  4  ounces  pulverized  chlorate  potash, 
and  3  ounces  carbonate  of  iron.  These  in- 
gredients should  be  thoroughly  mixed,  and 
kept  perfectly  dry  (a  glass  jar  or  bottle 
answering  the  purpose),  and  when  wanted 
for  use,  a  small  amount  should  be  taken 
and  mixed  with  grain  spelter.  In  trying 
this  brazing  for  the  first  time,  take  a  piece 
of  cast  iron  of  say  one  square  inch  cross- 
section,  hold  the  broken  parts  together  by 
clamps,  and  fit  the  break  closely  in  order 
to  form  a  strong  joint.  Use  a  gas  forge  if 
possible,  but  an  ordinary  blacksmith's  forge 
will  do  if  no  gas  forge  is  available.  When 
a  blacksmith's  forge  is  used,  use  charcoal, 
and  be  sure  to  get  a  high  heat.  When  the 
pieces  of  the  casting  are  in  place,  heat  the 


joint  to  a  good  bright  red  before  applying 
the  flux.  Then  apply  it  liberally  with  an 
iron  rod,  flattened  on  the  end,  and  work 
along  the  fracture,  gradually  raising  the 
heat  to  almost  a  white  heat.  Then  shut 
off  the  heat  and  allow  the  casting  to  cool 
slowly.  If  this  work  is  done  carefully,  the 
joint  will  be  as  strong  or  stronger  than  the 
original  casting. 

Another  formula  is :  1  pound  of  boric 
acid,  3  ounces  of  caustic  soda,  and  3  ounces 
of  carbonate  of  iron.  This  is  mixed  with 
spelter  in  the  same  way  as  in  the  first 
formula,  and  must  also  be  kept  dry.  The 
main  points  to  keep  in  mind  when  brazing 
cast  iron  are  to  have  the  metal  clean  and 
free  from  grease ;  not  to  apply  the  flux  until 
a  bright  red  is  reached  and  then  to  be  sure 
to  raise  the  heat  high  enough  to  make  the 
mixture  flow  nicely.  Ethan  Viall. 

Decatur,  III. 


ANTIDOTES  FOR  POISONS 


Antidote   for   Nitrate   of   Silver 

In  case  of  poisoning  by  nitrate  of  silver 
take  large  doses  of  salt  dissolved  in  water, 
after  which  take  one  teaspoonful  of  mus- 
tard flour   in  warm  water. 


Antidotes  for  Compounds  of  Arsenic 

In  cases  of  poisoning  by  compounds  of 
arsenic  take  a  teaspoonful  of  mustard  flour 
in  warm  water,  then  plenty  of  oil  or  milk 
or  linseed  tea. 


Antidote  for  Ether 

When  vapors  of  ether  are  inhaled,  the 
effect  is  similar  to  that  of  chloroform. 
Cases  of  this  kind  should  be  treated  by  cold 
effusions  and  artificial  respiration. 

Antidotes  for  Ammonia  Acid,  etc. 
In  a  case  of  poisoning  by  ammonia,  soda 
potash,  alkaline,  silicate  and  sulphates,  take 
strong  vinegar  with  water,  large  doses  of 
oil  or  large  doses  of  milk.  Vapor  of  am- 
monia may  cause  inflammation  of  the  lungs. 

Antidote  for  Oxalic  Acid 

In  case  of  poisoning  by  oxalic  acid,  and 
its  salts,  take  very  thick  paste  of  lime  and 
water  by  large  spoonfuls  at  a  time.  After 
several    doses     take    large    drafts    of    lime 


water,    and    finally    about    four    ounces    of 
castor   oil. 


Antidote  for  Prussic  Acid  and  its  Salts 

In  case  of  poisoning  by  prussic  acid  and 
its  salts,  cyanide,  sulpho-cyanides  and 
nitro-benzine,  apply  continuous  and  heavy 
douches  of  ice  cold  water  on  head  and 
spinal  column,  mustard  plasters  on  the 
stomach  and  soles  of  the  feet,  and  prevent 
sleep. 

licad  Poisoning 
Lead  poisoning  is  indicated  bv  constric- 
tion in  the  throat  and  stomach,  crampy 
pains,  and  blue  lines  around  the  gums.  As 
an  antidote  take  sulphate  of  soda  or  mag- 
nesia or  a  teaspoonful  of  mustard  flour  in 
warm  water,  and  strong  solutions  of  Epsom 
salts   in  cold  water. 


Antidotes  for  Acids 

In  a  case  of  poisoning  by  carbonic,  sul- 
phuric, nitric,  muriatic,  nitro-muriatic  or 
phosphoric  acids,  take  the  white  of  an  egg 
well  beaten  up  with  water  or  a  teaspoonful 
of  mustard  flour  in  a  cup  of  hot  water. 
In  the  case  of  sulphuric,  nitric,  muriatic 
or  nitro-muriatic  acids,  a  dose  of  very 
thick  lime  water  acts  as  an  antidote. 


INDEX 


Abrasive,  To  Prepare  Fine 57 

Acid-proof  Cement    16 

Acids  for  Etching 17 

Alcohol-proof  Cement    15 

Alloy  for  Filling  Holes  in  Cast  Iron 9 

Alloys  for  Drawing  Colors  on  Steel 21 

Alloys,   Miscellaneous    41 

Aluminum,  Lubricant  for  Turning 42 

Aluminum,  Satin  Finish  on 57 

Aluminum  Solder 37 

Aluminum  to  Other  Metals,  Soldering...   38 

Annealing  Cast  Iron  for  Drilling 24 

Annealing  High-speed   Steel 21 

Annealing   Iron   Castings 25 

Annealing  Steel  and  Other  Metals 23 

Antidotes  for  Poisons 58 

Anti-friction   Metal    41 

Arc  Lamp  Carbons,  Cement  for 16 

Asbestos   or   Other   Fabrics   to   Iron,   To 
Glue     12 

Babbitt  Metal  or  Lead  from  Exploding, 

To  Prevent    52 

Babbitting   Cross-heads    55 

Bearings,  Lubricants  for 41 

Belt  and  Rope  Dressings 45 

Belt  Cements    12 

Belts   and    Leather,    Investigating   Adul- 
terations in   55 

Bicycle    Tire    Anti-leak 53 

Black  Color  on  Steel,  Producing 27 

Blacking  Brass    31 

Blue   and   Brown   Colors   on    Steel,    Pro- 
ducing       26 

Blue-print  Paper,   Solutions   for  Prepar- 
ing          4 

Blue-print  Writing   Fluids 3 

Blue-prints,   Methods  of  Treating 4 

Blue-prints,   Retouching    4 

Blue-prints,   Varnish  for 47 

Blue-prints,   Waterproofing    5 

Bluing   Brass    31 

Boiler  Furnace,  Emergency  Repairs  of . .   46 
Boilers     and     Steam     Pipes,     Insulating 

Covering  for    54 

Borax,   Pulverizing    53 

Brass  Castings    30 

Brass,  Nickel  and  Steel,  Polishing ,    25 

Brass    or    Copper    on     Iron,     Producing 

Coatings   of    28 

Brass,  Producing  Coatings  on 31 

Brazing,   Cast   Iron 58 

Brazing  Steel  and   Iron  Without  Heat.  .    56 

Brazing,  Use  of  Brass  Wire  in 53 

Bronze,  Bright  Dip  for 32 

Bronze  Castings,  Acid  Dip  for 33 

Bronze  Finish  for  Yellow  Brass 35 

Bronze,    Recoloring    33 


Bronzing  Fluid  for  Steel 28 

Bronzing  Powder,  Silver  White 32 

Brown   and   Blue   Colors  on   Steel,    Pro- 
ducing      26 

Brown-prints,    Methods   of   Treating....  4 

Burns,  Artificial  Skin  for 50 

Case-harden    for   Colors 23 

Case-hardening    22 

Case-hardening    Cast     Iron 24 

Case-hardening,    Local    23 

Case-hardening,    To    Imitate 30 

Cast    Iron    Brazing 58 

Cast  Iron,   Filling  for 8 

Cast  Iron,  Lubricant  for  Tapping  Holes 

in    42 

Cast  Iron,  Methods  for  Chilling,  Soften- 
ing,   Case-hardening,    etc 24 

Cast  Iron  Patterns,  Varnish  for 47 

Cast  Iron,   Producing  Unchanging  Gloss 

on     25 

Cast   Iron,   Tinning 29 

Cast  Iron,  To  Scale 56 

Celluloid,  To  Write  on 7 

Cement    for    Switchboard    Repair 15 

Cement,   Water-  and   Oil-proof 9 

Cements    for    Attaching    Cloth,    Emery, 

etc.,    to    Iron    11 

Cements  for   Attaching  Glass   and   Mar- 
ble to  Metals    14 

Cements  for  Belts   12 

Cements   for   Cast    Iron 8 

Cements  for  Gluing  Emery,  Metals,  etc., 

to   Wood    15 

Cements   for   Leather,   and   Leather   and 

Metals    12 

Cements  for   Metals    7 

Cements   for   Miscellaneous    Purposes. .  .    15 

Cements    for   Pipe    Joints 10 

Chalk   Preparation   for   Tracings 7 

Chilling    Cast    Iron 24 

Clays  and  Clay  Substitutes 46 

Cleaning    Compounds    50 

Cleaning   Fluid   for   Fine    Fabrics 57 

Cloth   to    Iron,    Cement   for   Attaching.  .    11 
Coated  Surfaces  on  Brass,  Bronze,  Cop- 
per, Zinc  and  Tin,   Producing 31 

Coating    Processes    for    Iron    and    Steel, 

Miscellaneous    29 

Coatings  of  Copper  or  Brass  on  Iron ...   28 

Color  on  Steel,  Producing  Black 27 

Colors    on    Steel,    Producing    Blue    and 

Brown     26 

Copper  Brass   for   Laying-out   Work....   32 

Copper,  Bright  Dip  for 32 

Copper    Coating    on    Brass    for    Laying 

Out    Work     31 

Copper,    Etching    on 17 


60 


INDEX 


Copper,    Lubricant    for   Turning 43 

Copper    or    Brass    on     Iron,     Producing 

Coatings    of    28 

Copper    Plating    Cast    Iron 29 

Copper    to   Aluminum,    Soldering 38 

Copper,  To  Anneal  Finished 23 

Copper   Wires,    Soldering   Paste   for....  38 

Copper  witli  Tin,  To  Coat  Brass  or....  32 

Cores,    Making    Wax    Tapers    for 56 

Cork,   To  Cut 54 

Court    Plaster,    Liquid    52 

Cross-heads,    To    Babbitt 55 

Die  Sinkers'   Impression   Wax 56 

Dies,    Lubricant  for  Drawing 45 

Dies,   To   Harden   Fine 19 

Disinfectants     50 

Drafting-room  Receipts,  Miscellaneous..  G 
Drawing    Titles    from    Rubbing    Off,    To 

Prevent    7 

Drawings,     To    Remove     Grease     Stains 

from    7 

Drawings,    Varnish    for 47 

Drilling  Compound    43 

Drills  for  Cutting  Glass,  To  Harden 18 

Ebonizing  Wood  Handles,  etc 49 

Electro-plating,  Silver  Solution  for 32 

Emery  Cake  or  Tripoli,  To  Prepare 57 

Emery  to  Iron,  Cement  for  Attaching.  .  .  11 

Enamels  and  Lacquers  for  Steel 28 

Etching    Fluids    17 

Eye    Washes     50 

Files,  To  Recut  Old 50 

Filling  for  Cast  Iron 8 

Fire   and    Waterproofing   Receipts 45 

Fire   Clay    46 

Flux   for  Brass   Castings 31 

Forges,    Clay    Mixture    for 46 

Forgings,     Pickling    for 53 

Frosting  Brass   Work 31 

Galvanized  Wire,  To  Tost 54 

Gas  Engine  Cylinders,  Packing  for 54 

Gasoline    Pumps,    Packing    for 55 

Glass  and  Marble  to  Metals,  Cements  for 

Attaching     , 14 

Glass,    To   Dissolve    52 

Glass,    To   Write   on 53 

Glass  Tubes,  To  Cut  off 53 

Glue    for    Leather    Belts 13 

Gluod    Joints,   To   waterproof 16 

Glues  and  Their  Preparation 16 

Glycerine-litharge  Cement    16 

Gold    Solder    39 

Gold    Solders    40 

Grease   for   Gear   Wheels 42 

Grinder  Disks,   Cement  for 11 

Gun  Barrels,   To   Blue 27 

Gun-metal    Finish    35 

Gun   Stocks    To  Finish  Wooden 49 

Hands,    To    Prevent    Chapping    of 50 

Hardening  and  Tempering  Carbon    Steel  18 


Hardening    Bath 20 

Hardening   Cast    Iron 24 

Hardening    High-speed    Steel 22 

Inks  for  Blue-prints,  Colored 3 

Jewelry,   Silverware,  etc.,  To   Clean....  56 

Lacquer    for   Brass 34 

Lacquers    and    Enamels    for    Steel 28 

Lampblack    and    Shellac,    To    Mix 57 

Lathe    Center    Lubricants 41 

Lead  or  Babbitt   Metal   from   Exploding, 

To    Prevent    52 

Lead  Sticking  to  Work.  To  Prevent  Hot  20 
Lead,   To   Prevent  the   Sticking  of   Hot.    19 

Lead,  To  Test  White 54 

Leather    and    Belts,    Investigating   Adul- 
terations  in 55 

Leather,    and    Leather    and    Metals,    Ce- 
ments  for    12 

Leather,    To    waterproof 45 

Lubricants     for     Bearings,     Lathe     Cen- 
ters, etc 41 

Lubricants    for    Machining    or    Working 

Metals    42 

Marble    and    Glass    to    Metals,    Cements 

for    Attaching    14 

Marking  Polished  Steel 52 

Mercury,    To    Remove    Grease    or    Dirt 

from    55 

Metal,    To    Write   on    Bright 53 

Miscellaneous    Useful    Receipts 52 

Molding    Mixture    for     Rubber    Stamps 

and    I'atterns    55 

Molds  for  Brass  Work,   Dusting  for....    31 

Mottled    Case-hardened    Articles 22 

Nickel  Coatings  on  Metal  Surfaces,  Pro- 
ducing   Black     34 

Nickel,  Steel  and  Brass,  Polishing 25 

Oil    for    Delicate    Machinery 41' 

Oil  for  Micrometer  Screws 42 

Oil,    Preservative     37 

Oilstones,   To   Mend   Broken 55 

Packing   for   Gas   Engine   Cylinders   and 

Pipes  Carrying  Gasoline  Vapor 54 

Packing    for    Gasoline    Pumps 55 

Paint   from   Machinery,   To  remove 53 

Paints    and    Whitewashes 48 

Paper    Labels    to    Iron    and     Steel,    To 

fasten     H 

Pattern-making,   Plaster  of  Paris  for. . .    49 

Pickling    Brass    Castings 30 

Pickling    for    Forgings 53 

Pipe   Joints,    Cements'   for 10 

Plaster   of   Paris 49 

Poisons,    Antidotes    for 58 

Polishing   and    Finishing    Wood 49 

Polishing  Brass,  Nickel  and  Steel 25 

Portland-tar    Cement     16 

Pulleys   with   Rubber,   To   cover 12 

Razors,   Strop   Paste   for 52 

Rope    and    Belt    Dressings 45 

Rubber  Goods,   Cement   for 15 


INDEX 


61 


Rubber    Stamps    and    Tatterns,    Molding 

Mixture    for    55 

Rubber,  To  cover  Iron  Pulleys  with....    12 
Rubber  to  Iron   or  other  Metals,  Cement 

for    Attaching    12 

Rubber,   To  punch   Hard 54 

Rubber    to    Wood,    To    fasten 15 

Rust    Joint     8 

Rust  Removers  and  Preventatives 36 

Salves     50 

Screws  from  Getting  Rusty,  To  Prevent  3C 

Shellac  and   Lampblack,   To   Mix 57 

Shellac   Cement    15 

Shellac   Varnish,    To   clarify 47 

Shellac   Varnish,    To    imnrove    the   Color 

of     48 

Silver    Paste    for   Brass 35 

Silver    Solder    for    Brazing 40 

Silver    Solution    for    Electro-plating....    32 

Silverware,   etc.,   To   Clean 56 

Solders    and    Soldering    Acids 37 

Springs,   Mixture   for  Hardening   Spiral .    19 

Springs,    To   Temper   Small    Coil 20 

Steam   Pipe    Cement 10 

Steam     Pipes    and     Boilers,     Insulating 

Covering    for    54 

Steel,   Acid   Test   for   Iron   or 52 

Steel  and   Iron  without  Heat,  To  braze  56 

Steel  and  other  Metals,  Annealing 23 

Steel,   Brass  and  Nickel,   Polishing 25 

Steel,   Bronzing  Fluid   for 28 

Steel,   Etching  Fluid  for 17 

Steel,   Hardening  and  Tempering  Carbon  18 
Steel,  Heat  Treatment  of  High-speed...   21 

Steel,    Lacquers   ana    Enamels   for 28 

Steel,  Lubricants  for  Working  Hard....    42 

Steel,    Marking    Polished 52 

Steel,  Miscellaneous  Finishing  and  Coat- 
ing Processes  for  Iron  and 29 

Steel,   Producing  Black  Color  on 27 

Steel,  Producing  Blue  and  Brown  Colors 

on    26 

Steel,  To  remove  Rust  from 36 

Steel,    To    restore    Burnt 54 

Steel,    Varnish    for 47 

Steel  Welding  Compound 53 

Steel,    Welding    Spring 53 

Switchboard   Repairs.    Cement   for 15 

Tempering  Carbon   Steel,  , Hardening  and  18 


Thread    Cutting,    Lubricant    for 43 

Time-clock     Ribbons,     Re-inking 54 

Tin   for  Laying  out.   To   blacken 33 

Tin,  To  coat  Brass  or  Copper   with....    32 

Tinning  Cast   Iron    29 

Tinning  Process  for  Use  on  Iron,  Brass 

or  Steel    30 

Tinning  Wash  for  Brass  Work 31 

Tracing    Cloth    for    Inking,    Method    of 

Preparing    7 

Tracings,    Chalk    Preparation    for 7 

Tracings,   To  clean 6 

Tripoli  or  Emery  Cake,  To  prepare....  57 
Turpentine  for  Wounds,  Use  of 50 

Vandyke    Prints    more    Transparent,    To 

make    4 

Varnishes     47 

Washing    Shop    Windows 56 

Waste,     Washing    Oily 55 

Water    Pipe    Joints,    Cement    for    High- 
pressure     11 

Water   Pipes,   Cement   for 10 

Waterproof    Cement    9 

Waterproof    Cements    16 

Waterproof  Marking  Paint  for   Stone...  49 

Waterproof   Paint   for   Plaster 48 

Waterproofing    Blue-prints     5 

Waterproofing    Glued    Joints 16 

Waterproofing    Receipts    45 

Wax,    Die    Sinkers'    Impression 56 

Wax    Impressions,    Making 56 

Wax  Tapers  for  Cores,   Making 56 

Welding   Compound,    Steel 53 

Welding    Spring    Steel 53 

White   Lead,   To  Test 54 

Whitewashes    and    Paints 48 

Windows,   Washing  Shop 56 

Wire,   To   test   Galvanized 54 

Wood,   Cements   for  Gluing  Emery,   Met- 
als, etc..   To 15 

Wood,   Polishing  and    Finishing 49 

Wood,   To   fireproof 46 

Writing  Fluids  for  Blue-prints 3 

Zinc  Black  for  Templet  Work,  To  Coat.    32 

Zinc    Dust    Cement 8 

Zinc  Paint  for  Oil  Wells  of  Bearings.  ;  .  '48 
Zinc,    To    anneal 24 


u^ 


3U> 


